7.5 Visit to Zhujiajiao / Venice of China

Today, Mr. Joe took a group of us in a large van out of the city to the small town of Zhujiajio, an ancient city of canals and bridges. The Venice of China It was, of course, extremely hot. But we walked the small streets lined with stalls of goods for sale, and people hawking them. We walked through the narrow streets, to the river, where we took a short, but breezy boat ride on a gondola-like craft. Along the canals and under the bridges we traveled, through neighborhoods of small homes. A group of women sat eating their lunches from small bowls. We walked and shopped for a while longer, then ate lunch at a nice restaurant on a canal. As is customary, Mr. Joe ordered for the table: we had everything from pork roasted in broad green leaves to small snails in their shells, and eel, and pork boiled in rice, and wonton soup and fish soup, and there was a whole fish on the table. Everyone served themselves from the lazy susan. Lots of beer was had, and I finished my meal with a delicious coconut milk.

After lunch, we shopped around some more. A man playing a Chinese violin like instrument approached me, playing his mournful airs. He then offered the instrument to me to play. We then walked over a covered bridge, and then into a temple, which was a very tranquil place. People were burning incense and waving it in the air. In side alcoves, there were mannequins of what I presume were priests. They looked like the kung fu master in Kill Bill vol. 2.

All for now. More to come.