In another thread, I have posted some photos many of you have seen, showing a great old street near my home. Since then I've realized that I live in the very hub of the Suzhou tourism wheel. About an equal distance away are the Lion Grove Garden, the Humble Administrator's Garden (both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites), and the week-old New Suzhou Museum, designed by the most famous living Suzhounese: architect I. M. Pei.
This area also includes Shizi Bridge, where you can take the canal boat rides you saw in the other photos, and another old walking street named Dongbei Street. They look a lot like the old neighgborhood I've come to love so much, BUT are heavily commercialized. Dongbei Street is lined with a mile of dodgy souvenir and handicraft shops, as is the street that gets you there from my place. The crowds, the herds of pedicabs, the peddlars and beggars and idle morons, are thick and relentless.
I've learned that my great old neighborhood is slated for the same kind of development. The very thought makes me physically ill.
If you can, please come see the place while it's still quiet and peaceful and beautiful!Not sure if you can make it out, but behind the solid mass of pedicabs are solid masses of tourist shops.
Behind these souvenir shops: Another mile of souvenir shops.
But there are reasons why people come see it...
This is where you meet the local canal boat
pirates pilots.
Views from the canal boat...
Coming back to the pier as the sun sets...
Nice stuff. But maybe not worth another tourist trap in my nice old street...
