Suzhou Canglang Garden (1/29/2013)

Tuesday, January 29, 2013
I don't know if I whined too much about not having completed all my "to do" lists, but Sharon offered the use of Tony to take us to Suzhou to see Canglang Pavilion Garden. The weather was mild, but smog limited visibility. We had a 90-minute drive to Suzhou, then spent some time finding the garden. Surprisingly there was little signage, but Tony spotted the side street.
Canglang Ting was recognized as a World Heritage Site in 2000. One of the features of Canglang is that its main water attraction is on its outside of the garden. It is the oldest garden in Suzhou.
Entrance:

View back to entrance bridge:

Mian Shui Xuan/Pavilion Fronting the Water:

Outer corridor:

Looking back at Pavilion Fronting Water:

Guan Yu Chu/Fish Watching Place (no fish today):

Recitation Pavilion:

Smelling Prunus mume Pavilion:

View of the Prunus mume/flowering plum grove:

Painting in the pavilion:

Yellow bamboo:

Ming Dao Tang/Enlightenment Hall:

Slice of stone art:

Enlightenment Hall courtyard:

Eared vase gate:

Yaohua Jing Jie/Realm of Yaohua framed ceramics:

Of the reported 108 "flower" windows, four were named for seasons.
Summer:

Autumn:

Winter:

More conventional windows:

View from Kan Shan Lou/Mountain View Tower:

Cui Ling Long/Elegant Bamboo House:

Yin Xin Shi Wu/Mutual Affinity Stone Chamber:

Elegant Bamboo House view of bamboo:

Yang Zhi Ting/Reverence Pavilion:

Trying to photograph the portrait stele:

View of a moon gate and Mountain View Tower:

Wu Bai Ming Xian Ci/Temple of 500 Sages:

Stone carvings:

Old tree:

Qing Xiang Guan/Pure Fragrance House:

Grove of osmanthus trees:

Leaf window:

The Imperial Stele Pavilion:

Camellia tree:

Gourd gate:

Walking Along Winding Bank Corridor:

Ceramic dustbin:

Canglang Ting/Surging Wave Pavilion:

Stone flower bracket:

Vase gate:

"Whipped cream" gate:

Memorial stele:

Stele with graphic of the garden:

From the outside, the Prunus Mume Pavilion and Water Pavilion of Lotus Blossoms:

Gate across the street:

Being short on time, we headed back to Shanghai.
Again, thanks to Sharon, and Tony!

Shikumen House Museum (1/26/2013)

Saturday, January 26, 2013
After a hearty lunch at Abbey Road, we decided to take a walk, going from Fenyang Lu to Taiyuan, and then down Yongkang Lu.
Hungry lung's:

A quilted pajamas set?

We were looking for No. 35, but it was a storefront with the windows papered over. Kent just happened to turn around and see behind us was a sign for the Shikumen House Museum, at No. 35, Lane 38. And luckily for us, it was open only on Saturdays!
The door was not marked, so we yelled "Ni hao" and a gentleman came to invite us in:

An interesting story that can be read at the Shikumen House Museum link. A house that was lived in by four generations and simply opened up to the public.
Kent in the dining room:

Farmer's outfit due to a stint at a "labor camp:"

Handmade sandals:

KSS

Narrow depth steps, but steep:

KSS

The tian zi jian/room above the kitchen:

Several family members were painters:

KSS

Outside in the alley, some hanging meat:

And bird cages:

Our walk then took us down Jiashan Lu, with more hanging meats:

KSS

Pig's head:

Bacon and sausage:

More pig parts:

Card game:

Art deco facade is marred by wiring:

Cold legs:

Waterproofing is "good enough:"

The weather is unseasonably warm.