China
In November 2018, I took a ten-day tour of five Chinese cities: three days in Beijing, then a flight south to Shanghai and a bus straight out to Suzhou, then Wuxi, Hangzhou, and back to Shanghai for the last two days. The Great Wall at Juyongguan, the bronze Buddha standing over the hills at Lingshan, and Shanghai’s skyline lit up from the middle of the Huangpu are the three I would go back for.
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Places visited
Places I visited in China
The Gate of Heavenly Peace, the way in to the Forbidden City. Beijing
Tiananmen and the gate to the Forbidden City, the Great Wall at Juyongguan, Peking duck, and the Temple of Heaven.
A hall in the Lingering Garden, reflected in its pond. Suzhou
The Lingering Garden’s halls and bamboo paths, a boat along the old canals, and a flagstone street of shops.
The incense terrace at Lingshan, below the Grand Buddha. Wuxi
The Lingshan Grand Buddha above its steps, the incense terrace below it, and the Nine Dragons fountain.
The Leifeng Pagoda above West Lake. Hangzhou
West Lake under the Leifeng Pagoda, a lantern-hung walkway in the tea hills, and a night at Songcheng.
Pudong from the Bund, on a hazy morning. Shanghai
Pudong from the Bund by day and from the river at night, and the lanes of the old town bazaar.
The service area on the expressway, and its Jiaxing zongzi. Jiaxing
An expressway service area on the way to Hangzhou: zongzi and noodles, braised duck, soft serve, and a sign.