You can follow my suggested itinerary!

Hey travelers! If you're planning to visit Suzhou soon, here's an ultimate guide for your trip. This is super detailed and crafted with love by a local resident so that none of my internet sisters take the wrong path!

Three-day Itinerary:
DAY-1: Suzhou Museum → Humble Administrator’s Garden → Lion Grove Garden → Pingjiang Road → Twin Pagoda Market → Guanqian Street
DAY-2: Hanshan Temple → Xiyuan Temple → Lingering Garden → Tiger Hill → Shantang Street → Gusu Wall
DAY-3: Quan Street → Wangshi Garden →沧lang Pavilion → Oriential Gate → Jinji Lake

Food Recommendations:
️ Qi's Lake Fisherman Restaurant - A 15-year-old restaurant with its own crab farms in Yangcheng Lake. Try their June Yellow Crabs or Yangcheng Lake Prawn which are currently in season.
️ Ya Ba Sheng Jian - The steaming hot pan-fried buns have a smoky vibe with fresh juices and chewy meat filling.
️ Wang's Twin Pagoda Biscuits - These are baked inside ovens and come in both sweet and savory flavors. Perfect for breakfast!
️ Cha Yan Yue Se - Yes, they even have this popular tea shop in Suzhou now!
️ Su Ya Xing - A cultural noodle house near the Suzhou Museum offering authentic Su-style noodles. Their broth is rich and flavorful.
️ Shan Hai Ji Home Cuisine (Guanqian Store) - A top-rated home-style cuisine place with dishes like Crab Roe Shrimp Vermicelli Hotpot.
️ Shan Hai Ji Home Cuisine (Pingjiang Road Store) - Known for their clay pot dishes and often frequented by locals. Some must-try items include Braised Frog Tongue Hotpot and Steamed Taihu Prawns.
️ Su Xiang Xing - Another great spot for Su-style noodles located on Quan Street.
️ Danqi Ball - A hidden gem at the 53rd floor of Oriental Gate offering panoramic views of Jinji Lake. Great for photography enthusiasts!

Some additional tips from locals:

• Renting e-bikes can be extremely convenient as shared bikes aren't allowed around Pingjiang Road.
• Consider staying in areas like Lindun Road, Pingjiang Road, or Baita Road where many attractions are close by.
• For those looking to taste crabs, try places that have direct connections with Yangcheng Lake farms.
• Don’t miss out on experiencing the night markets such as the one at Shantang Street which becomes incredibly beautiful once lit up.

This should give you a good head start on what to expect when visiting Suzhou. Happy travels!

Thanks for sharing!

Neither seems to give way, in my experience.

Besides the traffic jams, there aren't really any other downsides.

I went in 2018. I'd love to go again, but I can't make it now.

Really? Every time I go to Shanghai on a business trip, I find the city beautiful and the climate great.

The Forbidden City should be fine (though you might have trouble with facial recognition there too). Don't enter through Tiananmen; go directly through Donghuamen (East Prosperity Gate). Otherwise, the security check at Tiananmen will stop you right there.

Oh my goodness, I had no idea that the security check at Tian'anmen Square was not exactly cosplayer-friendly in advance!

• Luckily, I dressed my character Lu Zong from "The Dating Game of Light and Night" in a super low-key style for that day.
• At the security checkpoint, when my ID card was swiped and the facial recognition system failed to recognize me!
  • **Small科普: In many places in China, such as train stations and popular landmarks, you need to go through a facial recognition checkpoint by using your ID card via the machines.
• A security officer standing next to me then said, "This coser's facial recognition is not working."
• I freaked out right away, fearing that I would have to take off my wig right there! (超级尴尬的意思啦)
• However, the officer just took my ID card and let me pass through the security machine.
• After a while, he handed back my card and let me proceed.
• The line was so long and filled with people that it felt like a huge social snub!

Anyway, my Lu Chen has passed the national-level security check. He was a man among men, a top-class guy!

Important travel tips for foreign friends about Cosplaying @ Tian'anmen Square

• Cultural background:
  • Tian'anmen Square symbolizes Beijing as well as China, situated in the heart of the city, it's magnificent.
  • Therefore, security checks here are always conducted rigorously.
• Note:
  • If you plan to cosplay at Tian'anmen Square, please note:
    • The authorities probably do not allow or welcome this kind of costume.
      • I managed to get in this time due to sheer luck and a rather inconspicuous outfit.
    • Wearing wigs, heavy makeup, etc., may lead to issues during facial recognition via your ID card, as I did, which might attract the attention and questioning from security personnel.
• How to avoid trouble:
  • Most reliable approach: best to avoid cosplaying at Tian'anmen Square.
  • If you really want to (like a stubborn I did):
    • You should choose an extremely low-key costume, preferably similar to ordinary tourists.
    • Avoid flamboyant wigs, props, and heavy makeup.
  • Prepare yourself mentally: even if you follow these tips, you may still be stopped and questioned by security personnel, or be asked to adjust your costume or, in extreme cases, denied entry.

#cos #The_Dating_Game_of_Light_and_Night #Lu_Chén #Beijing_Tian'anmen_Square #Travel

When talking about living in Beijing, here is how I feel:

• What I like about Beijing:

  • Most of my relatives and friends are here. Frankly speaking, it's also the main reason why I can't seem to leave despite wanting to, given the emotions attached.
  • My salary is indeed higher than in some other places.
  • The weather suits me fine too - at least it isn’t as humid and sticky as the south.
  • Everyone around wears their clothes so casually! Outfit-wise, I wear slippers as fashion and match it with my wind-resistant, waterproof jacket (usually black). In winter, switch it up with a nice black down jacket and put on that black mask, nobody recognizes me, feeling completely free and secure, something like an “earthy-cool” assurance.
  • There are tons of museums for sightseeing and I particularly adore visiting them.

• But there are aspects of Beijing that worry me:

  • It feels quite lacking in the "lifestyle quality" aspect with a missing kind of lively human touch. After eleven o'clock at night, finding night markets even becomes challenging, which is kind of disappointing. Beijing comes across as a city solely built for work, a purely functional metropolis.
  • Its romantic and artistic vibe seems a little sparse.
  • There's no sea or any large river, just tall buildings all around (referred to locally as the “steel-cement forest”), and common mountains, which can become boring after a while.
  • Attention Alert TRAFFIC! TRAFFIC! TRAFFIC! Traffic jams could drive anyone crazy. Be sure to check the road conditions before setting out, otherwise, your time will all be consumed on the road.
    • What can we do? Try using the metro whenever possible, or avoid rush hours by travelling outside these peak times.
  • The food in Beijing is alright but there still needs improvement in telling the authentic deliciousness as everyone rushes to try new fancy, famous restaurants without clear judgement.
  • It’s quite apparent that many parents are extremely overprotective and anxious about success for their children with their obsessive pursuit of learning and extracurricular classes.

#BeijingLife #GraduateLife #Thoughts

Meow~ Everyone is welcome to visit more often!! (said with pride)

I feel like Hangzhou's high vegetation coverage is a major factor. This is the greenery next to the sidewalk I usually walk on; some of it is even obscured by road construction nearby.

I'm actually curious to find out just how bad the West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy is.

Can I bring my own bike to ride?

If all that sounds okay, the best bet is to stick with the tour for just the first two days. When it's time for the shopping stops, just leave the group, grab a taxi, and go explore on your own. You'll have an extra taxi fare and miss one West Lake boat ride, but it's worth it. If you're on a budget, just exploring around West Lake is stunning too. For roughly an extra 100 RMB per person (if there are two or more of you), you can skip the shopping trips. Don't worry about the contract; you were likely tricked into it anyway. A true 'contract spirit' should be about mutual honesty. I highly recommend switching to independent travel early on the third day, but make sure to haggle the tour price down from the start to make up for the 'lost' last day.

So beautiful!

Oh dear, this time when we brought our little baby out and checked into Suzhou InterContinental Hotel, it claimed to be very family-friendly.

• I called the hotel in advance specifically and said we would need a baby cot.
• The result? Here’s what our “baby cot” looked like:
  • Two mattresses were just randomly stacked on top of each other.
  • They somehow found a sheet that was completely misaligned as if they scoured the whole place to find something.
  • And the bed frame… It was simply too low! Lifting the baby up required a bent over spine, putting stress on us parents; it was truly a test of our back strength!
• Even though the room has an area of around 52 square meters and feels quite spacious, it only contains one big bed that measures approximately 180 cm wide, which makes it feel a bit empty.

On top of that, a small complaint about the welcome fruit:

• There was only a single orange (imagine a lone orange in this “photo”).
• Given that a staying at this room costs around 2000 RMB per night, it was really disappointing.
• Well, let’s find contentment where we can: the toddler enjoyed two rounds in that grand bathtub, swimming happily; plus, a portion of the lakeview could be seen through the window, offering a small relief to my wounded heart.

️ Important notes for families with babies:

• Should you also require a baby cot:
  • It is strongly advised! Upon reservation or prior to check-in, make sure to confirm in great detail the specifics of the baby cot with the hotel.
  • Inquire about the exact type of cot provided, its cushioned comfort, whether bed sheets and blankets are included, and also its height. Avoid experiencing what befell me, with extra strain on the back.
• Regarding family-friendly hotels:
  • Certain hotels might provide a friendly public space or child-friendly services, but their infant supplies in guestrooms (such as baby cots) or other smaller details (like the welcome fruit) might not align with your expectations exactly.
  • If you have any special requests, don’t hesitate to ask in advance, communicating thoroughly! To spare disappointment and not let it impact your holiday mood.

I think many tourists from out of town also ignore traffic lights. They even stop in the middle of the road during a red light, especially at the intersection of Shantang Street and Shangtang Street. Moreover, they don't keep a good hold of their children; the adults are either busy talking or looking at their phones.

Seriously, steer clear of this place. They charged me 8 yuan for a bottle of Oriental Leaf tea! I asked why it was so expensive, aren't they usually 5? The old guy just scoffed, 'This is a tourist trap, what do you expect?'

Hello everyone! I've been wandering around the areas near Shanghai again, this time exploring places within a two-hour drive.

• Where did you go this time?

  • Jinxī Ancient Town (锦溪古镇)! This ancient town is located in Kunshan (昆山) in Jiangsu Province (江苏省). It takes about one to two hours to drive from Shanghai, not too far away.

• How crowded was it there?

  • Oh my gosh, it's packed with people, so crowded that it's difficult to move around! I guess it might be because it is now the season to enjoy hairy crabs.
    • A little fact: Hairy crabs are a type of river crab that is unique and especially delicious during autumn in this area. Many people come specially here for the taste.

• First impression of the ancient town:

  • When step into the town, you can hear street vendors' cries selling things, as well as the roosters crowing on the streets!
  • There are also live chicken and ducks for sale right by the roadside! (It reminded me how it looked when I used to walk to school as a kid, hahaha.)

• What about the scenery?

  • The town does have an authentic Jiangnan water town atmosphere, with characteristics like abundant waterways, numerous bridges, and historical architecture.
    • Another fact: "Jiangnan" refers to the region south of the Yangtze River in China, known for its many waters, bridges, ancient buildings, and poetic beauty.
  • There is a bridge in town that would look stunning if lotuses were blooming.

• ️ Important Reminder! Must Read! ️

  • But! But! Apart from these, there really, I mean really, isn't much else that is particularly remarkable or worth seeing in this ancient town.
  • Staying overnight? Not recommended at all! ‍️ Believe me, you'll regret staying overnight there.

• Is it worth the visit then?

  • If you happen to be passing through Kunshan, or going somewhere nearby, you can drop by for a casual stroll.
  • You can experience a different kind of "flavor of human life" – an earthy, authentic, and lively vibe compared to big cities.
  • But if you take a special trip just for Jinxī, though, personally, I think you may end up feeling a bit disappointed.

Hope my sharing is helpful for you guys! #JiangnanWaterTown #AncientTownTravel #ShanghaiSubwayTour #TravelComplains #HonestTalk