|
Suzchou (Soochow) We took a high speed train to the "small" town of Suzchou and visited the Yu Garden. Found out this was the garden that Portland's Chinese Garden is based on. Craftsmen from Suzchou came to Portland during construction to make sure it was an exact replica. We took a short ride on the canals, which run through the old part of town. It was picturesque and fun. |
|
Silk Silk originally came from China. I looked for silk in every town, and didn't find any of the brocaded silk I was looking for. The silk from these worms was made into mattress covers, pillows, and comforters mostly, and some fabric yardage. Mill End has a better variety and selection than any I found in China. But it was fascinating to watch the process of worm, to cocoon, to silk thread, to fabric. |
|
|
Bigger, Better, More The tallest building in Shanghai calls itself "the vertical city." I don't remember how tall it is, but we went to the top very quickly. My ears popped on the way up. There is construction going on everywhere. I'm not sure what the human motivation is to build the biggest, tallest, best building in the world. There's some kind of competition, I think. It isn't about climbing Everest; it is about building Everest. |