Suzhou's Shan Tang Jie (Street)

Now I've left the touristy section of the street behind.  Here, I turn away from the grand canal and head into an adjacent neighborhood.

I walk for a wile, 10 minutes or so, then come across another canal.

It's quite back here.  I take a break and sit by the canal.

A group of lady's are chatting near by.

Some men head out into the canal.  I think they are fishing.

Moving on along this canal.

I crossed that bridge in the previous picture and contionue along this walk.   Not at all sure what direction I was heading.  I didn't really care.  I was just wandering around.

A small business making tasty little egg sandwiches.

I found my way out of the old neighborhood and back to the Grand canal.  I continue along the canal.

It's lined with all sorts of small business providing the necessities of everyday life.  Food, hardware, clothes, cleaners, barber shops, etc..

A place to access the canal.

A good spot to clean up some things.

Another side canal.

Now I've come across another tourist attraction.  This is Tiger Hill.  It's ah... old.  That's all I know about it.  I took a quick picture and then kept moving along the canal.

I take pictures of them and they take pictures of me.  This girl actually asked me first.

Towards the end of Shan Tang Jie.

I could go no further along the Grand canal.  I poked around down the side streets a bit and came across this area.  People are living on these boats.  It didn't seem like a good idea to be wandering around people living in these conditions with an $800 camera in my hand.  However, I should say that I never once noticed an aggressive stare or heard a harsh word.

Yuck!

Not far from where those boats were a school let out.  It's a terrible picture but the only one I have.  Groups of children were walking by and all very curious.  Lots of them said hello and one brave boy asked me my name.  I told him and we walked together for a while.