Suzhou: Better Think Thrice.
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You made a smart choice!!! I was originally planning to go to the Lingering Garden too; guides say the less crowded gardens are just as beautiful. But my younger brother insisted, 'How can you come to Suzhou and NOT visit the Humble Administrator's Garden?' Sigh, I really should have stuck to my guns.
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DON'T! BUY! ANYTHING! AT! TOURIST! SPOTS! It's the same all over China – definitely avoid buying things at scenic attractions.
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Heads up!!! Etch this in your mind!!!
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I knew the Humble Administrator's Garden was expensive and crowded, so I chose Yi Garden instead. It's smaller, the ticket is 15 yuan, and there are fewer people. They're all gardens anyway, and I don't really like wandering around huge places.
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Exactly! That's the spirit! My heart aches for my 80 yuan all over again.
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Are two days enough for Suzhou? I'm planning to spend two days in Nanjing first.
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Two days in Nanjing is good; the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall and Niushou Mountain are worth visiting. As for Suzhou, one day is enough. If it were me, I'd do a garden in the morning, a museum in the afternoon, and enjoy Pipa Pingtan (storytelling with Pipa music) in the evening.
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A pastry shop on Pingjiang Road was selling six small pieces of osmanthus cake for 40 yuan...
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That's totally outrageous, treating tourists like easy money! Maybe these are a rare treat for people from northern China, but for us southerners, they're just ordinary pastries.
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Any good food recommendations, sis?
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That one's pretty good; every guide seems to recommend it. I forgot the name, something like '... Yuan,' I think. Yaba Shengjian (pan-fried pork buns) is also worth trying. Other crab roe noodle places are decent too.
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We're planning to visit around the 23rd of this month. Will it still be very crowded?
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Haha, incredibly crowded.
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May I ask how you got around to the sights? I'm wondering if I should rent an electric scooter.
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Walking and the subway, haha! Traffic is really congested, so I find walking much more convenient.