Suzhou, Jiangsu, CN
4:14PM 1 May (Labour Day), 2015 22°C

After a long but smooth flight we arrived in Shanghai Pudong International Airport then traveled by car to the city of Suzhou. We had dinner at Qiongji Road as pictured, a block of food vendors, from high-end restaurants to stalls with outdoor seating. There are many people, both men and women of different ages. Marlin notes that everyone is Chinese, if not East Asian. The buildings pictured along Qiongji Road are new commercial buildings built using traditional architectural styles and materials. Most of Suzhou resembles a cosmopolitan Chinese city with gated clusters of residential apartments, commercial skyscrapers, impressively maintained greenery and views of the Yangtze River. Pictured in the background under the sun is the tallest building in Suzhou, the “Gate to the East”, a new commercial building in the China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park. One of many new business districts fuelled by China’s interest in foreign investment and a key player in morphing Suzhou’s landscape. This landmark is meant to symbolize the cities prominence in the global world but locals poke fun at its resemblance to trousers.

Links:

Suzhou

Suzhou, Jiangsu, CN
3:31PM March 3, 2015 20°C

Despite a nice breeze the humidity resulted in a clammy Stretch Marlin. Tonight, Marlin will be sleeping on a train headed to the city of Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi. The train offers accommodation for standing, sitting, four bed, six bed, two bed, or no door cabins. The entrance to the train station as pictured here appears to be a modern interpretation of traditional architecture, including the public plaza and its triangular roof. The roof is comparable to a crown as a symbol of status or the Greek’s division of column styles. Convergence between old and new styles is a central theme in Suzhou, perhaps due to the city’s thriving tourist industry and international business districts. Suzhou is famous for its use of symmetrical and geometric shapes. The “starchitect” responsible for the Louvre Pyramid, Suzhou Museum and Bank of China headquarters, Leoh Ming Pei, is renowned for this distinct style.

Links:

For worthwhile, comparative insights into Suzhou's architecture derived from a trip undertaken by an inspired North American High School student in 2012, please see Suzhou Architecture

Xi’an, Shaanxi, CN
9:20AM May 4 (Youth Day), 2015 20°C

However reluctant Stretch Marlin was to leave the beautiful garden city of Suzhou, the carving still seemed just as eager to explore the ancient city of Xi’an. Indeed, a wealth of history and culture is found in every structure or bowl of Pao-Mo soup. Xi’an was not only home to generations of royal families but also the eastern entrance to the Silk Road. Marlin learned from a tour guide that the Silk Road was more than 7000 km and connected China to Europe and North Africa, via Central and Western Asian regions and the areas hugging the Mediterranean. Reportedly, Marco Polo’s adventures through the Silk Road led to the introduction of Chinese noodles to the Italian peninsula, and thus, the foundations for such iconic Western staples as Italian spaghetti. Today, there are many international chain stores visible in Xi’an’s urban landscape, including McDonalds where the iconic Chinese staples such as red bean pie and black sesame ice cream may be found.

Links:

Xi'an Cuisine

Pao-Mo Recipe

Xi’an, Shaanxi, CN
2:00PM May 6, 2015 20°C

Stretch Marlin is pictured in front of a Western Zhou style house at the Huaqing Hot Springs. Our tour guide from the Shaanxi History Museum stated that, “In Western Zhou architecture we may see the doorway, front hall and rear room forming an “axle line”, while the “wing-rooms” are connected by corridors and are arranged symmetrically on both sides (the West and the East). This forms a southward facing courtyard enclosure, perhaps separated further into two sections.” Thus, a tranquil and romantic atmosphere was created by the seemingly harmonic organization of buildings and natural features. Many bodies of water in this locale are human engineered, with meticulously maintained gardens and domesticated birds, fish, and animals. Geomancy of this sort was extended to land management. As explained to me by a tour guide for the Shaanxi History Museum, “A account book was excavated from the ninth year of the Wanly Reign (1581), and held a record of the land management of government, without its exact provenance. Regular forms were used to clearly register the shapes, location, scale and names of the owners of each patch of field, land, mountain, pond and grave. The government used it as a guide to collect taxes.”

Links:

Shaanxi History Museum

Huaqing Hot Springs

Chengdu, Sichuan, CN
3:20PM May 9, 2015 21°C

Our adventures continued when we arrived in Chengdu the capital of Sichuan province and the historic southern entrance to the Silk Road. Stretch Marlin is pictured relaxing on Jin Li Street in front of local food vendors. Szechuan cuisine is renowned for their Sichuan peppercorn and dried chilies that are incorporated into such savoury and sweet delicacies as seen here. The charm of Jin Li is further manifested by intricate faades of stone and wood. The street has always been a popular attraction since ancient times. Its artisans are renowned for their ritzy embroidered items, teas and tea accessories. A range of leisurely activities are still enjoyed by people, such as tea ceremonies, Chinese opera, traditional ear cleaning and massage, dueling mahjong, hotpots, or many people simply lounge about the park. Stretch Marlin relaxed with an exquisitely steeped cup of jasmine tea further sweetened by the wonderful sounds of pipa, guzheng and erhu. Chengdu’s relaxed reputation and past times are clearly juxtaposed to its cosmopolitan commuters and growing economy. Today, we also visited the Huanhua Stream Park and Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Centre. Tomorrow we hope to visit the Dujiangyan Irrigation System.

Links:

Jinli Street

Ningbo, Zhejiang, CN
3:15PM May 21, 2015 22°C

The port city of Ningbo is well know for its bustling economy, free trade zones, and, of course for the fresh seafood found in this image with Stretch Marlin. The air was brisk but musky this morning and filled with the hum of a bustling city. It first seemed that our journey would be rudely disturbed by the seemlingly endless monotony of car horns, but this annoying background noise was soon overtaken by a chorus of many more exciting sounds and urban melodies. We began our day wandering about the city and sampling street food for breakfast. On our way to the Ningbo Museum of Art near the outer bank we passed a French Gothic-inspired cathedral and through an area called LaoWaiTan. Many western style pubs and foreigners have congregated in LaoWaiTan since the British Treaty of Nanking. We also visited the Tianyi Pavillion, one of the world’s three oldest libraries preserved today, complete with its original relics and gardens.

Links:

Explore LaoWaiTan

Hangzhou, Zhejiang, CN
12:36AM May 23, 2015 19°C

The capital of Zhejiang, Hangzhou is celebrated for its scenic natural landscape. Stretch Marlin is pictured admiring the lotuses from the mid-lake pavilion. Monuments with famous poems are scattered around West Lake. Many people are found here using various forms of transportation, exercising, or simply enjoying the view. The urban stage is further envigorated by young families taking a stroll, youth in their school uniforms at the sport courts, and elders dancing while their companions quietly observe and eat street food. After sweating out Chengdu’s flavourful Sichuan cuisine and recovering from an allergic reaction to Ningbo’s delicious seafood, Hangzhou’s fresh and sweet dishes were a fantastic ending to our trip.

Links:

West Lake