Suzhou's Shan Tang Jie (Street)
I (Scott) had the opportunity to spend a day checking out Suzhou.  Suzhou is about 1 hour by train west from Shanghai.   Part of the day was spent walking around the area known as Shan Tang Jie.  It's in the old part of the city.  The street runs along a canal.  This canal is part of a network of canal's that runs from Hongzhou (to the south) all the way to Beijing.  That's about 1200 miles.  Oh yeah, and it's around 2000 years old!!  Click here for more info.
The buildings in the Shan Tang Jie area certainly were not nearly that old, but an interesting area none the less.
The old city wall.  Cool huh!  This is an avenue that crosses Shan Tang Street
This is a bridge over the Grand canal.  That is Shan Tang street in the background.  In the foreground is a man selling some eggs... I think.
The view from the avenue down onto Shan Tang street.  This the the touristy part of the street.



A view down the canal.  Shan Tang Jie on the right.  
Here I am on the left.  Huh.  Go figure.  Could be a metaphor for my life.
No!
Not food!  Lots of people have pets in China.

(I have to say, "he does look yummy")
Now that's convenient access.
Tour boat's going along the canal.
I'm not so sure about this one.  I don't think it's a tour boat.
Shan Tang Jie is not just a street, it's an area.  This is a side street off Shan Tang Jie.  I later went for a walk out in this area.
Lot's of things going on on Shan Tang Jie.  Here is a shop keeper washing her hair.  A lot of the shop keepers live at their shops.  This is not an uncommon scene in China.
"Now were did I put my glasses"
Dinner!!  Now that's fresh.  Let me be perfectly clear.  If you want to have fresh chicken for dinner, you can come here and say, "I want that one".  The nice lady will ring the birds neck, pluck the feathers, and sell you the bird.
After you get your bird you can buy fresh veggie's right near by.
A retiree taking a little "show she" (Chinese for rest) out side his home.

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