Tian Ping Mountain

I resumed to making my friday a Suzhou day.
Months before I had been anticipating to go to Tian Ping Mountain. A lot of my Chinese friends told me that it's a must see during autumn. It's the time when the leaves starts to turn red and yellow.
Thursday, I already asked a colleague at work how to get to Tian ping mountain by bus. (Aside from its the cheapest way, it's also a way to get to know the city well)
To Tian Ping Mountain:
Take bus number 3 to Carrefour Dong Huan Road(2rmb). Then exchange to Bus number 4 (2rmb) then stop at the last stop.
Unlike the Luzhi old town, I cannot escape the entrance fee to the park. Everyone is required to buy the ticket for 18rmb.
Thinking about it, for 26 rmb including return bus fare. It's relatively cheap to experience Autumn in China at it's best. Here are some pics I took when I went there.
By the way, best time to go the tianping mountain is during weekdays, it gets rowdy and crowded on weekends especially at this time of the year.


(log cabin with yellow leaves)

(an old tree with all its dead yellow leaves on the ground)

(chinese couple doing their wedding pictures behind the red tree)

(a view of the lake )

(red maple leaf)

Im Thankful for

Last Thursday, we had a thanksgiving dinner. It was a very good chance to take a break from eating chinese foods. The host made sure that all of us would have a good and comfortable dinner. Everything was planned and was carried out very well, we had our seating arranged, our names in our cups and again, very very good food.

Good conversations with friends, as we were about to wrap up the night, the host informed us that as a tradition in their house when they are doing thanksgiving, each one would say what they are thankful for. Wow we were place on the spot!

Our host started with the things that she is thankful for, so on to the next person....

When it was my turn, I was quickly trying to organise my thoughts on what I am thankful for.

I finally said:

I'm thankful for this year. I'm thankful for this opportunity to be in China and the opportunity to travel around in my own way, though I'm looking forward to travel more. I'm thankful for this new experience, even if I'm not sure if I will still be in china next year. And lastly I'm thankful for the sumptuous food and for the people who took time to prepare it.

That was on the spot. But after saying that I realized, that I seldom think of the things that I'm grateful for. I most of the times complain on little things, not realizing that some people would be very happy to trade places with me right now.

And for that Thank You and Belated Happy Thanksgiving

(Video was taken by my italian friend I met when I went to Laos. This is one of the new experiences that I am thankful for...)

Dai,James and John

November is ending, I haven't been able to update much on this blog. Instead of writing my thoughts, I have devoted most of leisure time in November in reading. Though only a few people know about my blog. It was funny to get a message from my friend back home telling me to update my blog because she doesn't have anything to read anymore. How ironic can that be? While I'm drowning myself in pages after pages of reading materials, she takes time to check this blog for updates, when its suppose to be writeasifnobodysreading. But never the less thanks my friend for the effort.

Let me share some of the books that kept me busy for the 2nd half of November
Balzac and the little chinese seamstress by Dai Sijie.

the book tackled " reeducation" in China which actually took place on the 60's, where intellectuals were forced to live in the rural areas of China and were forced to do hard labor in the farm.
It was the time when all books were banned in China, and all Chinese people were to learn the ideals of Chairman Mao's little red book.
Owning Western book at that time was considered to be a serious offense. The story revolves around the lives 2 young city boys, reeducated in the farm and their discoveries and adventures when they got hold of a hidden western book from an author named Balzac.





When the wind blows by James Patterson.

a thrilling fast paced book about a secret scientific research on the evolution of Man. It involves character of a veterinarian who's husband was recently murdered and a falling FBI agent. How their lives connect while solving the mystery.
The author has a distinct way of writing his novel to make it "chewable" or easier for readers. The author writes his stories in short chapters. Expect chapters to run to about more than a hundred.


The King of Torts by John Grisham

a novel about a young ambitious struggling lawyer in Washington, who stumbled upon a random minor street killing in the area's slum. Leading to opening a case against one of the largest pharmaceutical company.
The book tackles issues about large class suits and how it involves settlement and how greed and ambition can take one man to his peak and back.



I am sorry I have not been writing. It's because of these books that I am reading. Please bear with my own book reviews.
And to my friend who knows who you are.... Grab a book and readasifthereisnotomorrow

Friday is Suzhou Day

Yesterday, I realized that if I am going home for good early next year and my time here in Suzhou is ticking and would be ending soon. ( It would really make me sad)

I have decided that since I am free fridays, I would devout it in exploring and taking pictures of my current home Suzhou.

1st stop: Luzhi Old Town and waterways

Luzhi is an ancient town 25 KM east of Suzhou.

I asked my friend for directions on how to get there. As per her instructions take bus 518 from Guan Jian St. and stop at the last stop. From there navigate your way to the old town.

It was strange because for normal tourist they take a rickshaw from the bus stop, the rickshaw would bring them to the entrance of the old town. Entrance fee 60 Rmb.

I was lucky because I trusted my instincts and instead of taking the rickshaw from the bus stop, I decided to explore the town and walk around. After almost 20 mins of walking without any ancient town in sight, I decided to wait for any rickshaw that would pass by.

After I hailed a rickshaw and haggled for the price to take me to the ancient town, he asked me if I want to buy a ticket, I said NO. He dropped me off at the back side of the ancient town, which is not far from the Luzhi Middle school. From there I explored the town starting from the rear going to the front.

Luzhi Town is a small old town filled with shops, tea houses and tourists of course! They have chinese wooden gandolas rowed by chinese women in costumes.

One interesting thing about Luzhi is that chinese girls would like to have their pictures taken with the ancient town while wearing traditional chinese costumes, which a lot of shops cater to.

Until next friday

foggy day in suzhou

I woke up today at 7am. It was hard to get out of bed. The thick comforter just blended well with the cold morning. I looked at my window and I almost saw nothing. Just mist. I wiped the mist and still saw nothing. It was all white.

Today was a very foggy day in Suzhou.

My friend Ken also took notice of the fog. By the way since his apartment is on the 19th floor, he has a very good view of the City covered with fog.

He shared his photos to me this afternoon.

where do I write?

Having to travel for more than an hour by bus to work everyday, I make it a point to make use of the travel time. I bring my notebook with me and try my best to write down whatever I can scribble just to help me kill the time.


If I am travelling in the plane I always carry my computer with me so that I can easily turn it on and start collecting my thoughts. This way it helps make the flight bearable.

I don't know why every time I am in a moving car, boat or plane or even train I always get inspired to think well and If I think well I want to write it down. I noticed this when I went to Uni and I have to travel from home for a long time.

Dragon Air/Cathay Pacific
In my previous post I mentioned about my options and fare prices going to Hong Kong.
Dragon/Cathay is the most expensive. Even if it's a little premium over the rest of the airlines, I choose this airline because I know they have good service, good airplane food and individual screens.
Because of these good amenities, my plan to write a blog while in the plane for the 2.5 hours flight was forgotten.

All the time I was glued on the screen watching 1 episode of Grey's Anatomy, Listened to airplane radio station (which by the way has excellent choice of songs whether it be chinese, cantonese, english, indian)


Also one remarkable thing about this airline is that they serve really good food. As the plane ascends, the attendants would hand out menus... How sweet can that be?
The food is really good, not to mention the free drinks and beer I can get. But I chose orange juice since I just had my morning coffee.
And the best part is they are serving dessert... Ice cream..... Haagen- Dazs..... no less

By the way, Grey's Anatomy.

I have been following this series when I was back home. I am no longer updated with the series since I got here in China. While watching Grey's anatomy in the plane, I realized that I kept a very striking line in one of the old episodes of Grey's Anatomy. I just kept in my phone's draft.

Our history is what shapes us, what guides us...

Our history resurfaces time after time after time

So we have to remember:

Sometimes the most important history, is the history we are making today...

This line is an inspiration for me to leave my comfort zone in my old job, and risk and try an adventure here in China.... Hoping to make my His.....story

Hong kong airport sad feelings

After 6 days in Hong Kong and crossing to Macau with some friends from Uni. It's time for us to part ways, they would be going back to Philly and I would head back to Shanghai. I felt a little homesick leaving because it would mean that party's over and it's back to reality.

I felt more homesick maybe because I know that they would be going home and I would be back to China and alone again.

We booked the same schedule its 11:00 am. Manila for them and Shanghai for me. I was expecting to spend time with my friends in the airport. But unfortunately they were assigned a gate exactly opposite to my assigned gate. It would be very difficult to run to my gate when our flights are gonna be boarding at almost the same time. I decided to just wait for my flight in my gate, I don't want to risk being late. I can't afford to be left by my flight.

While waiting for my flight, I can't help feeling restless and I kept on looking at the flight screens to see whether their flight has boarded already, at the same time imagining the time that I would be going back home too. I pictured my friends would still be in happy mood inside the plane, while I am lost in translation in gate waiting for my flight to board.

I decided to take a photo of the flight screen
Their flight is 5J111 to Manila, while mine is CX... to shanghai
In the picture, our flights were separated by an 11:00 am flight to Paris.

Luckily I chose a very good airline. My homesickness was eased when I was inside because of the airplane food and the airplane entertainment.