Day 5 – Airplane Food and Gardens

10/12/2009 02:28:00 AM Tully Mars

A box breakfast at the hotel starts off the day with a bang! LOL We head to the airport for our flight from Beijing to Shanghai, followed by a bus ride to Suzhou. Traveling half the day blew away any tourist activities unless you count flying China domestically. My banana, runny yogurt and fruit cocktail just wasn’t enough to get me started and I was actually looking forward to the airplane food! Now remember I am on an adventure so instead of getting the “western” breakfast, I opted for the “Chinese” breakfast. As I look around at everyone else’s selection (including other Chinese on the flight), I realize I may have made a mistake.


Actually the Chinese style airplane breakfast was a fermented egg, runny rice, pickled vegetables, fruit cup and what has not become called the surprise bread roll. Every bread roll I grab at breakfast or in some package has a surprise center. Not exactly sure what it is actually, but it hasn’t been bad at all. Slightly sweet but yet it has a meaty texture and flavor to it. Each one I get is different or at least I think it is!
After meeting our new “local” guide, we head to a classical Chinese garden to learn and be sucked into more tourist traps – LOL. The area is part of the Yangzi delta and is characterized by rice paddies, canals, lakes and pagodas. Seems the pollution is less down here and the humidity is higher. I wouldn’t want to be here during the summer months!

The garden is one of the few gardens open to the public and tourist. Apparently most of the gardens are private and cannot be visited by just anyone. We learned all about the four key elements of every garden and how everything is suppose to be picturesque. Sean was bored to tears! While Tricia and I got some good ideas about how to fix up the back yard. (No we are not going to build a classically Chinese Garden with the dumb dogs in the back!)
Every evening the dinners are getting better and better with this evening’s dinner not breaking the rule. Either that or we are getting use to the food. Every meal is served family style and we all share in several dishes that are typical for the area. Yes, Elyse is still having some issues with the food, but seems to be experimenting a little more. It’s all fun to be with a small group and watching everyone as we partake in a foreign culture.

Western Airplane Breakfast


Headed down the Lutong (Hutong) to the garden


One of the intricate carvings in the garden


View from the backside of the garden


This has been her look the entire trip!  Guess she's having fun.


The look of boredom - LOL


These gardens are really nice


First class accomidations!!  Guess what's in the basket?


Night is Suzhou
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