There is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below. For the people of the Magic City, Suzhou, this backyard, has been walked over and over again. The Humble Administrator's Garden, popular internet celebrity Su Bo Guan, historical block Pingjiang Road, old city style Shantang Street, Jinji Lake and Ferris Wheel, and ancient towns in Jiangnan water towns, from Zhouzhuang Tongli to Mudu Luzhi, are even more popular places to check in. And this time, I just want to quietly take my parents and the essential member of the family, "Little P", away from the bustling crowd, and search for lazy and slow nearby vacation destinations. So, taking advantage of the special short and long vacation during the China International Import Expo, I drove all the way west, driving in the wind and stopping by the lake, searching for this Japanese style fresh little "Kamakura"!

Little P, who rarely traveled far, went all the way to the top, sticking out his furry little head in the wind and gaining a new understanding of the world.

The destination that was originally planned to arrive in two hours was delayed by almost an hour due to traffic congestion. Legend has it that the most terrifying road rage female driver in the world (me, yes) only remembered to drive an automatic following cruise to relax her feet halfway through. Fortunately, with the company of her dog and family, she avoided a volcanic eruption.

We didn't have lunch until after two o'clock in the afternoon. The Auntie Farmhouse who greeted us off the roadside was very enthusiastic and ordered a table of farmhouse dishes with a hungry stomach. Salted white shrimp, braised sea bass, dried celery, and home cooked small fish jerky, my mood finally began to clear up.

Suzhou Dongting Dongshan exceeded my expectations. This peninsula, located in the southwest direction of Suzhou city, is surrounded by lakes on three sides, with a vast expanse of lake light and the shadows of fishing sails and gulls. The top ten famous teas in China - Biluochun - are produced here. In addition to its rich historical and cultural heritage and numerous scenic spots, the ecological environment is also well protected. From the beginning of entering the Huanhu Avenue, the roaring past is full of emerald weeping willows, the withered yellow lotus pond and the haze blue the Taihu Lake Lake, all of which are landscapes.

After wolfing down the food, I continued to follow the precise GPS on the Huanhu Avenue, where unexpected surprises always arrived just right on the way. The market strolling along the roadside caught our attention. The fresh and tender water chestnuts, the ripening lotus pods, the white and tender lotus roots like a baby's arm, the domestic chicken and egg, the pomegranate as big as the face, and the local specialty chicken head rice, although approaching the beginning of winter, seem like summer. The warm autumn breeze and bright sunshine, at this time, the beauty of the journey seeps into the heart and exists in every breath of pure air.

Selling vegetables and radishes grown in my own yard, so cheap that I feel sorry for my grandfather, but he doesn't take it seriously. He smokes and smiles at every passerby, living a seemingly boring life in a routine every day. This kind of daily routine is also a small blessing in my life.

And our family's Little Lucky has a little P, let me introduce it widely here, cough cough. Male, 6 and a half years old, from Jinshan, Shanghai. This young and miserable little life fought against him tenaciously, overcoming his illness. In his childhood, he was accidentally hit by a car and spent several sleepless nights wearing a protective cover. He limped and bounced around, still happy and heartless. On weekdays, if you have milk, you are a mother. When you hear the sound of plastic bags, you run faster than anyone else. You bully the weak and fear tigers in hard holes. I can tell his story for a few days and nights. Anyway, he is still a cute little one, although sometimes it can be very annoying.

I bought oranges, pomegranates, and some things I didn't have, and the navigation is coming to an end. The booked homestay is in Yangwan. The car twisted through the countryside path and stopped at the last corner, where there were still 100 meters left. Due to an electrician repairing the street lights in the village, the one-way street was completely blocked. My parents and my dog decided to get off the car and take a stroll, with orange trees everywhere on both sides, complementing our white car and visually quite beautiful.

Stay up, have a good night's sleep

After waiting for more than ten minutes, turning the corner, I saw a typical three story Jiangnan small building with beautiful white walls and black tiles. The huge garden also had a spring like atmosphere. The wild flowers on both sides of the path are blooming vigorously, bees are busy picking honey, and the red and eye-catching mailbox is indeed RAINBOW TOWN. After checking the odometer, it showed that there is still around 390 kilometers left after driving around 500 kilometers. I realized that I don't need to use intelligent tracking in the next few days, and I can safely return to Shanghai no matter how I drive. As expected, Xiaobai's ultra long range is not a vegetarian.

Our room is on the third floor, which is a duplex room. There is one large bed downstairs and two large beds upstairs. Hahaha, one person can occupy one. The toilet is so cute, I can't help but take a photo with the toilet.

Xiao P also has a separate room. There is a small blue tent upstairs, and the carpet is like the footprints of a dog. Maybe he is also tired and starts to lie there in a daze.

Everyone take a moment to tidy up and hurry out to watch the sunset. The most beautiful scenery in Dongshan is the sunset, and the most beautiful moment of light and shadow of the day is about to emerge. A pure electric vehicle quietly travels on the mountain road, passing by the lotus pond, passing by the reed marshes, with mountains, water, and homes, singing and singing birds by the ear. This is the life of longing.

On the empty road, there was only our little white car, driving and stopping all the way. The sunset gradually set in the rearview mirror, and the golden afterglow scattered on the body of the car, so beautiful that it almost disturbed me, the female driver. For safety reasons, I pulled over and the family sat quietly in the spacious car, watching the sun slowly sink into the lake outside the window. Xiao P may have been tired from playing all day, so he brought his special blanket and fell asleep in the comfortable back seat like a little angel.

Not far from the homestay is Tonggu Mountain. At this time, the sun has completely gone home to rest and turned around the the Taihu Lake Lake. The grass swaying with the wind rustles, and the calls of seabirds on the lake seem more peaceful and comfortable. On the long wooden boardwalk, there were only a few of us left, and the tripod couldn't be taken for free. The countdown was 321, and with a click, the family took a rare group photo as a souvenir. On November 3, 2019, in Dongshan, Suzhou, the weather was sunny.

On the way back, I saw my dad's handsome yet wrinkled face in the rearview mirror, which made me feel a bit sad. I remember when I was a child, I hugged my dad's broad back while sitting on his bike. After all these years, where has time gone? Dad has become thin and thin, and the bike is no longer the only means of transportation at home. At this moment, in this space, Xiaobai seems to be our warm home. Looking at you sitting in the spacious and comfortable back seat, our family is relaxed and comfortable talking and laughing,

Look, this big pomegranate costs ten yuan each, it's really huge, similar to a dog's head. Fortunately, the dog is not interested, otherwise I would have to eat leftover food, which shows that the family's status is not ordinary.

My parents said that I was a little tired, so I asked my lovely homestay sister to order takeout for us at night. The color was pretty good. The first disc of the screw was left with some mother's Steamed Chinese sponge cake. Speaking of this mother's Steamed Chinese sponge cake, it was covered with a layer of red and green silk. It looked like Babaofan (Rice pudding with eight-delicious ingredients). It tasted soft and slightly sweet, and was suitable for the elderly with poor teeth.

The first floor lobby of Rainbow Hall is decorated warmly, with comfortable sofas, walls covered with posters, and soft and fluffy hairy crab pillows. It is very suitable in this season of autumn wind and crab foot itching.

On the table was a handmade loquat paste made by the shop owner, and I quickly made a cup to moisten my mother's lungs. The big orange tree in the yard can be picked and eaten casually. At night, sitting on a rocking chair holding a dog and looking up at the stars, happiness.

I really like this picture. The dog is sitting at the bar and seems to be saying to the waiter, "Handsome guy, give me a glass of beer. I won't go home tonight if I want to get drunk.". (Brain filling this intoxicating scene)

night night

In the morning, with birds singing and chickens crowing, we opened the curtains. The window was full of green. The village with white walls and black tiles was particularly beautiful. At the farthest sight, the Taihu Lake Lake used its elegant and refined dress to wake up our new day.

Happy again on the road, let's see if we're beautiful. Behind Xiao P's cute smile, there was actually a thrilling episode just now. The homestay also has two dogs. Originally, everyone lived in harmony and harmony. Unexpectedly, Little P accidentally broke into the warehouse where Ah Huang had just given birth to a dog baby. As a result, it is unknown what happened inside. In just a few seconds, Little P's screams came from inside! Dad saved him with a meteor shower, but he was trembling and anxious, greatly frightened. He didn't want to stay in the restaurant, so he had to accompany him upstairs to adjust his mentality. In no time, he was lively again.

When I came back and saw this photo, it was both funny and heartbreaking, but I had to praise Xiao Bai. The ecological cabin with solar energy circulation automatically ventilated the interior space of the car, and even when the windows were fully closed, there would be no airtight situation. Xiao P Jun expressed great satisfaction.

The first stop was when I drove to Beiwang Village, which is known as the Ginkgo Village. Unfortunately, it was still more than ten days away. The warm weather made the Ginkgo leaves green and yellow, leaving only withered apricots hanging on the trees.

A red hawthorn tree evokes numb memories, and the fallen hawthorn feels a bit regretful. It is the season when the hawthorn is ripe.

Beiwang Village was not big, and it only took about ten minutes to walk around. We left with some regret. Just as we were on the road, Xiaop had a new situation that might be due to drinking too much water and wanting to pee. There were no cars on the small road leading to the main road in the village, and the female driver also came down to move her legs. It was only then that we realized that the clothes we were wearing today matched well with Xiaobai, very photogenic. As the saying goes, a good horse matches a good saddle, haha, although I am not a horse. I asked Ma Ma to help take two photos, and under my guidance, my photography skills have become more and more proficient.

Today, I plan to drive clockwise around the island. 15 minutes later, I arrived at Luxiang Ancient Village, which is known as the first ancient village of the Taihu Lake Lake. At present, it is the highest quality, largest number and best preserved ancient village in the Jiangnan architectural complex. But we didn't enter at the bustling main entrance, but at the nearby Shouxi Bridge, which is really beautiful.

The large maple leaves behind the curved arch bridge are so beautiful that they are indescribable, which is the color of autumn.

But less than ten meters away, it is a large lake lotus pond. Although there are no more delicate lotus flowers, one can still imagine the graceful and colorful blooming in July and August.

Hey, this guy, how do you feel riding on the back of a turtle? What kind of immortal do you think you are? You want to cross the river to obtain scriptures, goodness goodness goodness goodness goodness goodness goodness goodness goodness

Passing through the local residential buildings leads to the ancient village of Luxiang. There is a small pavilion where tickets can be purchased. Elderly people over 70 years old are free of charge, and tickets for those over 60 are half price. The full price ticket is 65 yuan. I will summarize the itinerary and ticket address information for each attraction, as well as how to save money, at the end. Please go straight to the end if needed.

There are six scenic spots in Luxiang Ancient Village that require tickets to enter, and we didn't go to all of them. We just saw whichever we passed by, which was very casual. I highly recommend this Baojian Hall. Although it may not be large in size, there are very few tourists, giving it a feeling of being booked. Moreover, there are quite a few things that should be available, such as the typical Jiangnan gardens, which have different scenery every step of the way. Just a casual walk will create a beautiful scenery.

Sitting on the wooden chair by the corridor, someone actually started sprinkling dog food. Tsk tsk tsk, both Xiao P and I were full.

An incredibly huge pear tree

Gradient Maple Leaves

Although sparrows are small and have all five organs, they have everything from pavilions to towers.

Unlike other ancient villages, this place has not been fully commercialized, with very few tourists, and people passing by are also slow and not impatient. It is full of a strong sense of market atmosphere, more like a rural utopia. My parents have always enjoyed strolling through the ancient streets of the old town. They have a warm affection for these dilapidated buildings, long stone roads, quaint stone arch bridges, and winding streams.

From time to time, a few soft greetings from Wu Nong wafted through the alleyway, residents leisurely drinking tea at their doorstep, children teasing dogs, and aunts washing clothes by the river. These scenes were all voices unique to Suzhou, and the authentic Jiangnan town may be a beautiful childhood memory that made their generation so fond of it.

White jade square cake, all kinds of fillings, red beans, sesame paste and jujube paste have their own advantages. There are many fillings, and the cake skin is thin. A fresh aroma comes from the freshly baked pot. The cake is sweet and glutinous, but not too sweet. It is well made. No wonder it has been on TV, just near Sanyuan memorial archway in the ancient village.

The steaming crackling is white and crystal clear. If you take a bite, it will be soft and moist, but not greasy.

When I was a child, I often bought fried radish pancakes at the school gate after school, which were fried with scallions and white radish shreds, then covered in batter and fried in oil. They were golden and crispy. In fact, there were many other snacks in the ancient village, but they couldn't be eaten anymore. I continued along the mountain road to the next scenic spot.

The scenery outside the car rolled back and forth in the rearview mirror, gradually fading away. However, at the moment when the drowsiness struck, a stunning bridge was passed, and it is not an exaggeration to say that this is definitely a place where a large area can be seen. Even though there is some fog on the lake surface, it still cannot cover up the beautiful scenery of the Taihu Lake Lake at this moment.

Turning around, I discovered the small "sickle warehouse" in Suzhou.
Thinking of the sea, an old house, and an old plum tree from the movie "Sea Street Diary", a sudden surge of happiness surged in my heart. This was the moment when facing the sea and spring flowers bloomed.

Parking is prohibited on the bridge, but there is a place to park after getting off the bridge. Immediately, place the white man by the lake, lead the dog, and perform a human dog relationship.

This place is quaint and clean, spotless, with occasional cars roaring past. In the distance, the sea and sky are one color, like a soft light ink painting. The autumn wind gently blows over the willow branches, and also touches Little P Jun's small ears that move up and down.

Xiao P really likes the co pilot and occasionally shouts a few times during quiet driving, as if helping me check the navigation. Hahaha, don't worry, the female driver won't drive wrong here because it's just this main road.

Qiyuan, also known as Xijia Garden, is the only garden in Suzhou that is built along the mountains and rivers. It combines the small size of Jiangnan gardens with the scenery of lakes and mountains. In the afternoon, we arrived here.

The warm and unremarkable sunlight shines on the leaves, and the mottled light and shadow blend seamlessly with the carved wooden escalator. Qiyuan consists of three parts: a courtyard, a garden, and a small courtyard by Liu Yi. Among them, Liu Yi Well, Kangxi's hand planted Yangmei Tree, and the Imperial Wharf are the "three treasures" of this place. (Ava, what's that about? Ah Du Gulu Youwei, Oh Silent Gu, how could Tu Du Gulu Youwei, Oh Silent Gu) Hahaha, I'm sorry, I can't help but sing.

The Imperial Wharf embedded in the rippling the Taihu Lake Lake is very poetic. There are a few fishing sails floating on the lake. A long dike leads to the pavilion at the end. Looking at the vast the Taihu Lake Lake from afar, the water and the sky are one color, and the sea and the sky are wide. It is really refreshing.

Walking in the elegant garden, breathing in the fresh breath, time seems to have stopped.

The intricate layout of the park's layers is like a painting, a serene and distant watercolor painting. It's no wonder Ma Ma, who loves to take photos, constantly changes her posture and incorporates beautiful women into the painting.

The golden ginkgo that was not seen in Beiwang Village is made up for here. Standing under the ginkgo tree, the brilliant golden color becomes the protagonist, with gold, orange, and light yellow magically changing into various beautiful colors, like a huge color palette.

Yuhua Scenic Area was purely attracted by this poetic and picturesque name, just a short 5-minute drive from Qiyuan.

"Yuhua" originated from the Yuan Dynasty. At that time, the mountain fortress was filled with peach forests. Every late spring, petals scattered and fell like raindrops from the sky, giving birth to this beautiful name.

Xiao P is very happy. There is a large area of grass for him to play and run around, unrestrained like a stiff little wild horse. The happy life of the dog has begun.

A few children ran and set up kites here, swaying and swaying. Finally, the kites flew into the sky with the help of the wind, rising higher and farther......

Due to physical issues, my parents did not walk up the mountain with me. I slowly climbed up the stairs alone towards the top of Mount Moli. Passing through a tea room where one can taste the Dongshan specialty Biluochun, after building a small Biluochun building, one can reach the beautiful Yuhua Zen Temple halfway up the mountain. The temple has a long history and is bustling with incense, and various religious ceremonies are held regularly every year.

The scenery towards the mountaintop becomes more beautiful, with the carved roof of Yuhua Zen Temple and the colorful autumn trees, just like a postcard with a casual photo. Helplessly, I couldn't let my parents wait for too long. After browsing the Yuhua Zen Temple, I gave up the idea of climbing to the top of the mountain and turned back to meet them, heading to the last place - the Carved Flower Tower, known as the "first building in Jiangnan".

The courtyard is a bit deep, and the carved tower looks at spring and autumn. A seemingly inconspicuous but surprising carved building.

This is a two-story building, with a lobby on the first floor for receiving guests. The second floor is the living room, study, and bedroom. The buildings are carved everywhere, and the carving is exquisite everywhere, making us dizzy. Every subtle detail can feel the craftsman's exquisite craftsmanship.

The second floor of Ming and the third floor of Dun are the distinctive features of carved buildings in architecture. Due to the contraction of the third floor and the concealment of the mountain walls and wind and fire walls on both sides, standing outside the building or in the courtyard, one cannot see the third floor. This is precisely the place where the owner built a residence to avoid war and bandit harassment. The clever design makes people cannot help but marvel at the wisdom of the ancients.

There is a narrow passage at the entrance on the outside of the first floor, and the slate road and oil paper umbrella make it a popular check-in spot. Unfortunately, it's too late. Otherwise, I would really like to rent a qipao and walk gracefully here like a young lady, feeling the passage of time.

The colorful glass carved windows are also a major attraction. If the sunlight shines into the house, the colorful light and shadow will scatter on the table, which is really beautiful. The following picture shows the young master's study, which is also my favorite room.

The room of the young lady is still slightly different from what I imagined. There are not many fancy things, but the carved bed and dressing table can imagine the most precious lady in the family living here. I won't take pictures of the room of the second young master. It's simple and messy, just like the servant's room, and its status is also unknown.

If you want to see ginkgo, I recommend everyone to come to the Carving Tower. The ginkgo trees here are relatively concentrated, nestled by the pond, with small bridges, lotus ponds, pavilions, and towers, which are really beautiful.

I didn't do anything at night. After returning to the homestay, I snatched meat strips from Xiao P. The young man was quite strong.

Day 3 and you, let's go back to the beginning together

Two days passed in a blink of an eye. When it was time to leave Say Goodbye, I left early and put everyone's suitcases in the huge trunk. The little white was also too spacious, and it felt like at least two more people could lie down. Of course, including the dog was also okay, so the whole family no longer had to worry about insufficient space when traveling.

Open the solar sunroof and let my dad enjoy it too. Pretend to be a driver for a while. As for me, I'll loop through a Jay's song "Say it's okay, don't cry" and watch you act up in the back seat, haha.

I originally planned to go to Zijin Temple before leaving today, but unexpectedly, it was under renovation. I had to temporarily change my route to the nearest scenic spot, Sleeping Buddha Pond, which is a 3-minute drive away.

There is no entrance to this place, so there is no need for tickets, but there are indeed no scenic spots to see, so I won't recommend them to everyone. There were orange trees all along the way, really, everywhere, and the branches were bending over.

Stepping on the rustling pile of fallen leaves to entertain oneself and take a photo can also be considered a trace of this trip. The Su style refreshing trip to Dongshan has come to an end. This precious land with few scenic spots and free time is worth visiting again next time. I heard from the locals that the scenery in different seasons has its own characteristics, and I need to continue exploring it.

Finally, in the afternoon, I arrived home without stopping. Little Bai still had 150 kilometers left, and his range exceeded expectations, overturning the fallacy in my mind that pure electric vehicles always need to be charged. And the journey was very smooth. I didn't find a charging post. The starting was more awesome than a gasoline car. I got up at a gentle pace, which brought a lot of convenience to this temporary trip. Of course, my favorite thing was its huge space. Parents and dogs had their own places, so they could take a nap comfortably.
At this point, the female driver and cameraman were already exhausted. The pace of urban life is too fast nowadays. We are busy with work, travel, and gatherings, but we often forget that our parents also need to be with us. There are very few opportunities for us to be together for 24 hours in a row, with just one car and three and a half people. I can't even remember how long it has been for our family to get together and speak freely like this trip. It's great to hear you talk about the past and the short stories of your family, from the scenery and history to cultural life. Seeing that you are still passionate about life, it's great. At that moment, your heart was satisfied. It seems that in the future, we will need to arrange a trip every month that we can go as we please. I will take you and you will take your dog, and we will drive together to see the beautiful mountains, waters, and scenery of our motherland.

On the first day, depart from Shanghai and arrive at the Dongshan Scenic Area, stroll around the market, and watch the sunset
The next day - Departing from the homestay, passing through Beiwang Village, Luxiang Ancient Village, Fengqi Bridge, Qiyuan, Yuhua Scenic Area, Carved Tower, and Small Ring Road, return to the homestay in the evening
On the third day - Departing from the homestay, passing through Zijin Temple, Sleeping Buddha Pond, and returning to Shanghai in the afternoon

Self driving route
Shanghai Nanjing Expressway - Suzhou Ring Expressway - Dongshan Interchange - Wuzhong Avenue to the west - the Taihu Lake Avenue to the southwest (or Wuzhong Avenue to the east - Dongshan Avenue to the south) - Dongshan.

Rainbow Hall Boutique Theme Homestay (Suzhou Dongshan Branch)
Address: No. 33 Wanli, Tunwan 11, Yangwan Village, Dongshan Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou (opposite Changqi Wharf)
Occupation type: 3rd floor C2, 80 square meters, duplex, single bathroom, three large beds, can carry pets

Beiwang Village
Address: Xuantun Road, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City
Ticket: None
Recommendation index: 1 star
Can carry pets

Luxiang Ancient Village
Address: Luxiang Village, Huanshan Road, Molifeng, Dongshan Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City
Admission: Full price 65 yuan, half price for ages 60 to 70, free for ages 70 and above
Recommendation index: 4 stars
Can carry pets

Fengqi Bridge
Recommendation index: 5 stars

Qiyuan
Address: No. 39 Qiyuan Road, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City
Admission: Full price 45 yuan, half price for ages 60 to 70, free for ages 70 and above
Recommendation index: 5 stars
No pets allowed

Yuhua Scenic Area
Address: No.10 Yuhua Road, Dongshan Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City
Admission: Full price 30 yuan, half price for ages 60 to 70, free for ages 70 and above
Recommendation index: 3 stars
Can carry pets

Carved Tower
Address: No. 58 Zijin Road, Dongshan Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City
Admission: Full price 60 yuan, half price for ages 60 to 70, free for ages 70 and above
Recommendation index: 5 stars
No pets allowed

Zijin Temple (currently under repair and reopened to the public in December)
Address: Xiwu Zijin An, Biluo Village, Dongshan Town, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City
Ticket and pet information not available

Sleeping Buddha Pond
Address: At the end of Mianfesi Road in Dongshan, Wuzhong District, Suzhou City (next to Zijin Temple)
Ticket: None
Recommendation index: 1 star
Can carry pets

There are multiple tickets available in Dongshan Scenic Area. It is recommended not to rush in time. For those who want to enjoy a comfortable and in-depth tour, please purchase them, including Qiyuan, Diaohua Tower, Zijin Temple, Sanshan Island, and Luxiang Ancient Village. If you don't go to Sanshan Island, you can finish swimming in Dongshan in a day, but it's a bit rushed. It's best to arrange two days; If going to Sanshan Island, it's best to arrange for three days. One night on Dongshan Peninsula and one night on Sanshan Island