Adventures in Cixi, Zhejiang, not too far from where I live.

Trails everywhere in this area. I'm guessing it to be like this all over China but who knows. China is humongous and somewhat diverse.

This trip took me a few hours north of where I live, Zhenhai, Ningbo, Zhejiang, to Cixi, Zhejiang. 

I began this trip by looking at the map app called Baidu, choosing a naturey looking spot on it and then looking at the how to get there by bus. It took around three buses to get there.

Once I left my district of the province Zhejiang, I couldn't use the same bus card, but you can just use your bank card, right on the bus, just swipe it.. awesome. 

When I arrived, I really didn't know where I was, and it took a little while to find the nature spot, and I had some help. A local spotted me staring at  my phone and looking lost and actually gave me a lift, basically right to it. Thank you that kind lady!

Here is the spot. I walked in and headed up the mountain. The trails are always well marked and made out of stone, bricks, cement or just well-beaten down dirt. You get basically two types of visitors here: the ones who just walk up a bit and eat a lot, and the ones that take a serious hike. I'm in the middle somewhere. No other foreigners there, of course. 

After the days hike, I used Baidu maps to get myself into town and found this place with another app, ctrip. Beautiful room, 250 rmb. 

That evening I walked around exploring the town. This town also has many schools, so I wanted to check it out and see how it is. It's alright and has some beautiful naturey spots surrounding it. I found a cool, local place to eat and also asked the owner what I can do the next day. He told me about a cultural park not too far from there. And that is where I went:

Basically, on the side of the city, Cixi, there is a small mountain with trails going all around it. That's the cultural park. I spent the whole day there. What a great attraction to have so close to the city.

This is the well laid out trail made of interlocking bricks of some sort, very nice and easy to follow.

 After spending the day here, I found out where I would need to catch the bus back home and stayed in a hotel near there. Yeah!

1 decent ride on a bus with one transfer, I arrived

Not sure, but probably about 20-30 km from where I live, there is a beautiful scenic spot and small town. There are many like that. It's great because you can just take a local bus. It takes time but it's easy.

This was Yuyao, Ningbo, China.

When I arrived in that town, I took another bus, a very local one, which took forever to come, to an even smaller town. That is where the scenic spot is. To get there by car from where I live, it would only be about 40 minutes, tops.

After arriving in this even smaller town, that is situated beside a river, that has been altered and controlled by man, making it more functional, I went to eat at some local place. The locals there, are really local. I was trying out my Mandarin with them but even that was difficult.

Soon after that I found an inexpensive hotel, about 160 rmb per night, like 30 bucks, which isn't bad at all. At all. I checked in, took a short nap then off to the scenic area; it took maybe 20 minutes to walk there, and it is a classic Chinese scenic area: a sealed off beautiful area with a ticket booth in front. It was 60 rmb per person, I paid and started off on the path into the foresty, mountainous area with a beautiful river running through it.

The weather was quite hot, and I took my time just strolling on the paths and swimming in the river. My days off are Mondays and Tuesdays, so the crowds were nill. Love the feeling of just being in nature and having plenty of time.
Here is part of the pathway lined with bamboo trees, which are definitely in abundance in China's wilderness.

The next day, I waited for the bus to go back into Yuyao but first went to take a dip in the near by river. 

Then, I went to temple scenic spot in the town and paid some more.... 

I spent, probably, the whole afternoon there, just walking around. The sun was beating down hard, which made it difficult, but I persevered and moved slowly.

Check it out: 

You can actually go up this pagoda without having to pay extra: 5-6 floors with a  beautiful view from the top, which you can see below:

That evening, I took off and headed back into the city. I didn't get all the way back home, just about half way, got off the bus, found a cheap hotel then later went out to eat. 

Nice!

Suzhou - a one story huge town

In one of the many gardens in Suzhou, a very well balanced, warm-feeling garden

Before venturing to Suzhou, China, situated about 45 minutes west of Shanghai, I heard from many sources that it's a nice town and place.

I wanted to check it out because there is an abundance of job opportunities at international kindergartens and to see if I would like to live there or not. 

I didn't really appreciate the city very much, but I didn't check out the entire vicinity. The city is quite large and lacking huge buildings and sky scrappers. The city is laid out well and is covered with local looking mom and pop shops, and completely flat. When looking around the city and to the outskirts, there are isn't much nature to speak of and no mountains at all. That's the huge downfall for me. It seems far away from being able to immerse yourself in a really foresty or mountainous area or near some hiking. There are a few large lakes though. 

My trip:

I went to my hotel by bus. The hotel was expensive, about 60$ a night, 300 rmb, and was a themed hotel. My room looked like this: (It also had a bathtub and beautiful stand up shower.)

I didn't spend too much time in the room before heading out. The town has numerous gardens that, I don't think, could all be visited in one day. Also, it would cost you a fortune to do so; each garden, A.K.A. scenic area, has an entrance fee of about 40 rmb, 8 dollars. None of the gardens/scenic areas are open and can just be entered. They are all blocked of and have gates with turnstiles and ticket counters. I couldn't imagine living there and having to pay every time you want to visit one of the gardens. But on the other hand, the ones I did enter, were lovely.  Here is one: (It also costs extra to go up the pagoda, an extra 6 rmb, $1.50; I didn't do it, just seems silly because I just paid the entrance fee.)

You just follow the well kept pathways around, and most of the time, if you don't want to walk, you can take a shuttle bus for an extra $1.







The following pictures are from the next spot that I visit, and it was definitely different. It was more of a temple, old style living quarters area. The first picture in this blog is from there.

Getting from one spot to the next wasn't difficult at all. The transportation in Suzhou, China, is excellent and inexpensive. It definitely takes time getting from one location to another, about 45 minutes by bus.

In the evening, I went to a walking street called Shantang something, a very lively walking street area that is at least a kilometer long with many shops and a canal running through the middle. It was packed with locals and travelers, Chinese travelers, I guess, no other foreigners though, a great night spot.



The next day:

There are about 11 Indian restaurants in Suzhou. Apparently, there are a lot of Indian business men who come through there. The Indian place we chose was in an area with other foreign restaurants, and make sure to bring a big wallet, you'll have to pay nicely. This meal was expensive and we only ordered two dishes, 175 rmb, $25. The food wasn't bad at all and the owner is very pleasant and knowledgeable about the city. Usually Indian food is quite heavy but this wasn't. The owner, an Indian guy, explained that he uses fresher ingredients and not so much butter like other places.

The Indian shop owner suggested that I visit a place called Tongli, an ancient town about 25km away from there. So, I ordered a taxi, a Didi, and headed off.

Tongli Ancient Town:

After the town, I went back into town by public transportation: first by bus, then subway. They have a great subway system that expands far out of the city center. I always use a Chinese map app called Baidu, Google maps or Apple maps don't cut it here...

I headed to another scenic area in town but was too late. It had closed already, so I just kept walking and came across: 

The great never ending walking street! I don't know how long it was. But block after block, along a narrow canal and parallel walking street, this shopping/eating area just keeps going.....

The end.. That night I stayed in a cheapish hotel near the norther railway station.. yeah!!

In and around my area and into the bigger city for some fun..

This week I didn't travel anywhere too far but did some recreational activities starting with billiards. I went to a pool hall not too far from my place with this British guy who works at well-know high school in the vicinity. The pool was not dingy at all but bright, well kept and hospitable. We got a couple of beers and played for a few hours for about 65 rmb, not too bad at all - no pictures.

On my days off, I first went to a batting cage. I found the place by inquiring on a "foreigners in China/Ningbo" WeChat group. Someone new on there. The batting cages, well cage, is on the third floor of mall in a lazer tag amusement area.

It was 28 rmb for like 20 balls maybe. It went fast, kind of expensive, but they let me go a second round because there was no one else there, and I think because it was a novelty having a foreigner there. Then: right beside the batting cage there is Archery!

I had to try that! 40 rmb for 20 arrows maybe. 

Both cool to try! I may be back with one of my colleagues. Now onto the big city, Yinzhou for some skating. I had bought 5 passes to go skating which was put on a card, three of which I used already, so I wanted to use the 4th one. When I arrived at the rink, which is in a mall, I quickly found out that my card was expired. But, I tried just standing there and looking like a dumbfounded foreigner and seeing if they could do anything for me. The counter ladies made some phone calls and then adjusted the expiration date on the card. Yeah! I went and got fitted for a pair of skates and out I went... No one was there the whole time except for at the very end. At first the skating was a little difficult because I wasn't used to it. but then it became "old hat." But, I became too confident and took a spill, knocking the wind out of myself and bruising my ribs, kind of badly, but could have been worse, much worse. I sucked it up and painfully moved on.

Next on the adventure, I went to see a movie " The Avengers." Wickedly cool looking movie with an age old plot of "If you gather all 5 of the whatevers, you will be the most powerful being ever", in 3D.

I fell asleep in the theater for bit. There weren't many people there, and it was comfortable. That is one of  perks of having my holidays on Mondays and Tuesdays: there are very few people out and about.

Next, dinner time at a recommend pizza joint, recommended by that same group that I mentioned above. It is called Leo's Pizza +. A great far distance on a bus, I arrived there following Baidu maps (google China map), actual tasty pizza, who would have known!

An amusement park in the city, close to the mall with
the skating rink.