Down the memory lane - Travel adventure to China

Dear Strangers,

I have just spend the most amazing 12 days in Suzhou.

Every time I go to China I feel like my life and my brain have a restart. I always gain more strength and confidence and enrich my life with beautiful memories and experiences.

This time it was even better. I owe it to my Chinese language knowledge being so much better that it made me feel safe and free to converse with anyone, and my improved social skills that allowed me to enjoy it all so much more. I always felt that I didn't use my time well when I was in Suzhou for that one year, so the trip this year was the one that gives me a chance to fix that.

I visited all of the places that I used to love so much and experiences some new ones. I will mention my favorite ones.

Suzhou has an amazing lake with the most beautiful scenery. You need about 45 minutes to walk from one side of the lake to the other. I used to do this with my friends while I lived there. I walked until my legs started hurting and then sat down to enjoy in the view when I felt tired and unable to walk anymore.

The scenery is even more beautiful now and there is a Contemporary Art Museum and an impressive Rollercoaster being built. Unfortunately, it was still under construction.

I am a person desperately in love with museums so I was a little gutted about this, but this just means that I have to go and visit again.

Jinji Lake

Jinji Lake

Jinji Lake

Suzhou is also well know for it's gardens. I've seen many of them last time I was in Suzhou, so this time I revisited the one I like the most which is the Lion Forest Garden. It is a garden in which stones are made into art, you can find unimaginably beautiful shades of grey and roofs traditionally carved.

On the day I visited it was brimming with people. It was the first sunny day after two very cold, rainy and foggy ones. I always find that every single time you go to visit these gardens again, you find something new that attracts you. For me it was the trees you can see in the photos.

Lion Forest Garden

Lion Forest Garden

Lion Forest Garden

Lion Forest Garden

Lion Forest Garden

I also went to my old University to have coffee with my professor and enjoy in the place that changed me into a grown up person. We walked from the north gate to the east gate, sat to have a Starbucks in the campus (which is an amazing new addition) and ate in the canteen I used to like the most. It revoked so many memories and made me emotional. I shopped at the new bookshop all the things that had Soochow University name on them and stayed long after my professor went to catch her train.

Just few steps in the campus and I was already thinking deeply about going back. It's the magic of Uni.

Soochow University

Soochow University

Soochow University

Soochow University

Soochow University

Soochow University

I talked about many things with my professor.

I was impressed by how much China has progressed. If I needed to put it in one sentence it would be this - people who live in China, live a beautiful life. Of course, each country has the things that need to be improved and worked on, but it's the small things that leave an impression - it's paying for everything with your phone, it's the scanning in restaurants so you don't have to wait in any kind of line, it's bags for umbrellas, it's the older grandmas who invite you to dance with them in the park, it's the cameras and policeman everywhere so you feel safe, it's the night city lights that shine so beautifully.

Night lights of Suzhou, China

I was deeply impressed with my travel adventure to China. I am going to go back again. Forever in love, with my Suzhou.