The magic of 2020 has reduced many travel opportunities for us. Finally, the epidemic was better controlled. Taking advantage of the fact that the children did not take online classes, they had three days of free time to go from Shanghai to Suzhou to appreciate the charm of the ancient city of Suzhou. We focus on Suzhou's changeable landscape combination, rich water town customs and profound history and culture. Of course, what attracted us was a bowl of noodles and a cake ball, and the gentle atmosphere of being immersed in Wu Nong's soft language.

D1

The high-speed rail from Shanghai to Suzhou runs almost every ten minutes, which is comparable to a subway. Half an hour after the train arrived, we went through various checks on health codes and measured our body temperature, and began our journey of "small bridges and flowing rivers and homes".

The gardening art of Canglang Pavilion is unique. Before entering the garden gate, you can see a pool of green water circling the outside of the garden. Walking across the bridge, you can find that the garden is full of greenery, elegant and quiet, and has beautiful scenery, completely isolated from the hustle and bustle of the city outside the road. There is also a long and winding corridor in the park, which runs near the water, simple and distant. Canglang Pavilion stands on a small rockery, with a black tile roof and gray stone pillars. It is simple and elegant. The corridor is tortuous and uneven, with many flower-shaped windows on the corridor walls, exquisite patterns and different styles. The meticulous production gives people a feeling of tranquility and leisure.

The walking distance from Canglang Pavilion to the Master of Nets Garden is not long, but in the hot summer, what we hope is to be able to buy ice cream at the convenience store to relieve the heat, but we feel that the road is long because we can't find a convenience store along the way.

The Master of Nets Garden is a masterpiece of small and medium-sized classical gardens in Jiangnan. It is exquisite and exquisite, and the small and medium see the big. The garden covers an area of only nine acres and is recognized as the best of small gardens, so you can move around various attractions in the garden very leisurely. The main garden is centered on a pond, surrounded by ponds, pavilions, and mountains and trees, forming the closed water courtyard of the main garden. We sat in the duck shooting gallery in the garden and watched the ducklings playing in the water. Breeze blew in, blowing away the heat of the scorching heat. The paths between the bamboo forests are all the flavor of Suzhou gardens! The flowered windows in the park are still a sight worth spending time and careful consideration.

We booked the Pan Pacific Hotel at Wugong, including 2 tickets for the Ancient Canal Cruise. This is a hotel whose architecture blends the essence of Chinese classical architecture and Suzhou gardens. Small bridges, running water, pavilions, and pavilions embody Soviet-style style and elegance everywhere. The garden part alone can be walked for an hour and a half. Following the small door we came to the Panmen Scenic Area.

The cruise ship runs every 1.5 hours and passes through four docks in total. Each dock can get on and off once. Suddenly there was a heavy rain, and I was sitting in an antique ship and slowly watching the beauty of the canal in the rain. Not to mention that there was a live pingtan performance between each station, which was both fortunate and satisfying. If gardens are the charm of Suzhou, then water is the god of Suzhou. As the Venice of the Orient, water actually connects the famous attractions in Suzhou, and all attractions are related to water. The buildings on both sides of the river are the same color with white walls and black tiles. Small bridges, flowing water and people are the soul of Suzhou.

The so-called Three Scenery of Panmen are the Panmen of the ancient city of Suzhou built in the first year of King Helu of Wu during the Spring and Autumn Period, the Ruiguang Tower built in the Three Kingdoms, and the Wumen Bridge built in the Northern Song Dynasty that spans the ancient canal. It has both the pattern of traditional classical gardens and the charm of 2500 years of history. In particular, the ancient city gate with water and land parallel is the only existing one in the country. Here, it is most important to understand the depth of history through the mottled buildings.

He specially took his daughter to have dinner on Guanqian Street. In addition to the delicious squirrel mandarin fish, what I remember deeply is the sudden heavy rain, which made our shoes instantly wet.

D2

Today, we started the second day of our trip with a bowl of century-old Soviet-style noodles for each person. My daughter said that if anyone says that Shanghai's dishes are sweet, we must let them come and taste Suzhou's dishes and snacks... Of course, as Shanghainese, we can accept this sweetness very well.

In the first half of the year, we were surrounded by the chirping Suzhou dialect of Suzhou aunts. In the second half, we were like chartered buses. Bus No. 32 took us to Huqiu. The mountains are not very high, with ancient trees towering into the sky, the mountains are full of small scenery, and mosquitoes are surrounded by them. The slightly sloping Tiger Hill Pagoda stands on top of the mountain, surrounded by ancient trees and hanging vines. Indocalamus grows all over the mountains and hangs all the rocks, making the mountains more natural and beautiful scenery. Looking at the long bridge lying on the waves, the corridors are back, and the eaves are high, it is hard to imagine that this place has a long history of more than 2,500 years.

When it comes to Hanshan Temple, the first impression stays in the Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Ji's "Mooring on Maple Bridge at Night": the moon sets, the black cries and the frost fills the sky, and the river maple and the fishing fire are worried about sleep. At Hanshan Temple outside Gusu City, the passenger ship arrives at midnight. My daughter can ring the bell three times for five yuan.“嘡!嘡! The sound of the bell, with the residual sound of "hum... hum...", penetrates the drizzle, praying for peace in the melodious bell, and silence is better than thousands of words.

Also impressed were the poems "Maple Bridge Mooring at Night" written by various celebrities on the surrounding walls, as well as the Master Xing Kong who made outstanding contributions to the protection of Hanshan Temple.

This year is still a long plum season. When I took a taxi to Shantang Street, it rained heavily, so I turned directly into Pingtan Academy. In front of the academy is a performance stage, and below are the seats for audience members. There is a square table in the middle of the stage, with high-backed wooden chairs on both sides. The tables and chairs are covered with embroidered satin on a yellow background. The square rattan sofa and coffee table under the stage are arranged in one word for tasting tea, commenting and playing music. I happened to hear the Jiangnan minor tune "Qinhuai Scenery" ordered by other guests. There are a man and a woman singing Suzhou Pingtan. The male voice is calm and magnetic, and the female voice is bright, crisp and pleasant, which complements each other.

We ordered "Haitou Phoenix" and "Broken Bridge", leaned sideways on the sofa, sometimes listening attentively with our faces in our hands, and sometimes picking up tea. A pipa and a sanxian turn high and sad, and then sad, with a melodious voice and a sad tone. We also like Suzhou's Pingtan better. The pearls are round and smooth, and the eloquence contains deep affection. We just need to enjoy the charm of Jiangnan while sipping tea and the actors 'gentle and slow twirling. When the song ends, there is a feeling that the meaning is not yet complete.

This Shantang Street starts from Changmen Duseng Bridge in the east and ends at Wangshan Bridge in the west at Huqiu Mountain, a scenic spot in Suzhou. It is about seven miles long, so the Suzhou saying goes "Seven Miles Shantang to Huqiu." Shantang Street has a long history. It is said that Bai Juyi left a white embankment on the West Lake in Hangzhou. He also built the Shantang River and Shantang Street in Suzhou, making Chinese and foreign tourists linger. He is really a tourism ambassador.

Shantang Street is lined with shops and homes. Most of the houses here are on the front streets and back rivers, and some have even built special street-crossing buildings. It feels more commercial. Fortunately, the buildings in the old street are still original and reveal traces of history. The red lanterns hanging on the eaves undoubtedly add color to the alley. The intersection of the stone house and the water is covered with dark green moss, which really feels like a thousand years ago. Above the small bridge and flowing water, the sound of pingtan melodious reaches the other end of the water alley.

For dinner, we ordered a set meal for 98 yuan at a highly rated restaurant on the edge of Shantang Street. It was large and delicious. There were 5 dishes, so we had to walk more to help digest.

D3

In the morning, I ate Sugar-style crepe soup dumplings and bubble wontons directly on Northwest Street, and then walked to Suzhou Museum to make up for her daughter's regret that she didn't go last time.

The geometric walls not only have the simplicity of Jiangnan's pink walls and black tiles, but also have the sharp edges of Western-style buildings. The courtyard in front of the door is traditional and brand-new. The progressive stone rockery reflects the Jiangnan ink landscape paintings on the water. This kind of building is a building with a soul when it matches the harmony of local humanities.

When you come out of the museum, enjoy the fashionable three shrimp noodles and bald butter noodles. There are tender shrimps, seemingly invisible shrimp seeds, and bald butter noodles full of crab roe and crab cream, known as Hermes in noodles. The smell of time and kung fu is so fragrant.

After lunch, we divided into two groups. My daughter went to Lion Grove, and I went to buy cake balls. When we reunited and used ice cream to cool off at the KFC next to Lion Grove,"Plum blossoms are coming!" The good news is worth telling.

There are many introductions about Humble Administrator's Garden, and I have been here many times. Stone paths spiral in the garden, pool water flows in, and ancient trees are verdant, quiet and simple. One floor is five steps, and one pavilion is ten steps. In the open and spacious garden, each has its own terrain and scheming. The wood carving is also extremely superb. It is famous, so there are more tourists.

Not long after walking, you will find the famous Pingjiang Road. Willow trees along the river and cruise ships in the river are like an endless ancient ink painting. We visited two famous old streets for two days and felt that Pingjiang Road was quiet, bourgeois and exquisite. There were many young people wearing Hanfu, which was suitable for friends who liked literature and art. Shantang Street is a little lively and nostalgic. Most of the ancient buildings on both sides of Shantang Street are mostly buildings from the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, such as many guild halls.

Say goodbye to the misty and misty Suzhou, I feel like a fair lady wearing a cheongsam and holding an oil-paper umbrella, walking lightly into the alleys and slowly away.