bing dynasty

 

 

A night's stay here at Luyang hotel (green willow)  really completes my visit to Yangzhou. 

 

the lobby of the most deluxe hotel in 1930s, is originally the dancing hall, and the chicest wedding venue, 

 

Numberless celebrities and writers once enjoyed their stay here.

And just across the street, is the most famous restaurant Fuchun, the best choice for breakfast sets and the morning tea.

 

 

As early as six thirty in the morning when the restaurant is just open lots of locals and visitors flock here. I eye witness two middle aged ladies, sharing the same table with me, order twenty steamed buns and dumplings, in order to try different tastes, most of which end up to be spared and taken away.

Other attractions in Yangzhou I recommend:

The city is doing renovations everywhere for the incoming tourism fair in July this year. Same case of Crane temple, one of the most famous mosques in China. A worker  kindly allows  me to take a peep inside, and trusts me to close the door when he leaves to carry here more bricks.

 

In the most busiest rush hour, the traffic at the city center, Wenchangge, Paviliion of Literary excellence.

And  a Han dynasty tomb of a local royal family, is definitely awesome and highly recommended. 

 

 

 

very unique designs of wood coffin chambers

However, two new musuems, Yangzhou mueusm and Print musuem situated in its new city proper, are  to be frank, not too impressive to me.

 

The highlight of the tour, is of course the Lesser West Lake, the most famous landmark here. I get here by bus, getting off at the stop 'lesser west lake', however, after my entry, still no idea at first, the garden seems strangely too peaceful to be famous place of interest. I can only eye witness several locals playing card games in the shades of trees, or families walking their grandchildren by the lake. Only after  I consult one local mom, I find out that I'm in Lesser West lake of course, but  its bonsai garden section.

 

 

I walk out and cross a rainbow bridge to enter the main lake scenic area, and immediately get welcomed by numberless tour groups. Strange, but I have to admit that  I kinda miss it at that moment. Even the noisest tour guide and most undisciplined group appear friends to me. ( How desperate or lonely I must be.)

 

 

 

 

iconic  of Yangzhou city emblem, and yangzhou tourism;  lotus bridge is its name

24 bridge, in moonlight, was symbolic of romance, in Tang dynasty poems; and actually just one bridge structure.

According the legend, this white pagoda, imitation of one in winter palace of Beijing, was first constructed with heaps of bags of salt overnight, by the local salt merchants in Qing dynasty just to show their welcome to the visiting emperor.

it's at the front of  Fahai temple, a middle aged woman, who must be a  staff  here, politely waits till I finish taking a picture of buddha statue, before kindly explaining that usually it's not proper to do so.  I ask for apology, while thinking to myself how forgiving and buddhist she is.

To me, this lake is much much better than expected. I guess mostly it's thanks to  a bright sunny day  pleasant breeze and ubiquitous blosoms.

 

Next morning, after check out, while taking a walk along the canal again, notice that  many locals participate various of  exercises and acrobatics, or walk pets.

inside the mosque, a mirat of chinese architetural style

a mosque

massaging of faces and ears

and back to the east city gates

opposite the ancient canal ferry is a musuem to Marco Polo

a present from Italy

 

Doube east districts are full of people, (it's weekend) and at first sight, covers large space but seem very similar to any other old streets in China ,and so is underway the similar restoration construction.

 

xiefuchun, a local cosmetic brand

 

 

 

a Taoist temple

I then walk back to my hostel and the beds are ready, soft and clean. In the swing music played downstairs in the lobby, I order a cup of chocolate and begin reading a little. A little friend comes to me and almost dozes off on my lap.

 

 

And when night falls, I gorge down another glass of coffee, and then walk out in search of something for dinner. And those eateries around the hostel don't appeal too much to me. And even thought of their fried meats makes me thirty. So at a convenience store, I get a bottle of water and feel strangely a little flattered by kind smiles of the owner. And steps away, some locals are still gathering around a pancake stand, the only one remainer out of crowds during the daytime. I decide to join them by ordering two pancakes, which are to be stuffed by scrablmed eggs and shredded seaweeds and seasoned by chilli and soybean and sweet sauces. They are a couple in middle 40s, and chat with me while I'm waiting, and recommend me to walk to the canal for night lights.

'Yangzhou is safe and people here are gentle and soft.' yes, agreed and the pancakes are just yummy. Yangzhou is so different from its  neighbour of Nanjing and their indescripable different race of locals there.

 

ferry

night view of the canal

double east districts, with background of a city gate

Yangzhou is following by decorating its streets only with red lanterns

 

And now I need a break and a bowl of rice noodle in duck soup is just perfect.

 

 

And then the whole rest of this afternoon I am wandering in the Ge garden and the surrounding Double East old districts, which are located just across the street of Wenchang rd.

 

 

This garden is most famous for its rockery formation for four seasons, among which the winter view is the most genius, by designing holes on the wall and thus creating windlike in the winter.

 

And rocks come in various shapes, like this, like a rabbit.

a horse rock

a monkey rock

a bull rock