Suzhou

Lucky enough to spend a day exploring Suzhou with new friends.  Known for it's classic gardens and silk industry, Suzhou is a canal city that dates back to the 6th century.  The old part is luckily preserved, and it is really pretty.  White buildings with black tile roofs border the canals, and the noise of the modern world is somewhat muffled.  The day was cold and rainy, but that didn't seem to deter the crowds, although we were reassured that this was better than say in the spring, when everyones descends to "enjoy" the gardens with 5 million other people.  The crowds do seem to impact the serenity somewhat, but it is beautiful nonetheless.  One garden in particular, Lion Grove, is famous for the rocks, which are brought up from the bottom of the lake and arranged in various formations throughout the garden. Completely different than the Japanese gardens, where you could sit in one spot and let it roll over you, Chinese gardens are a bit more unformed, maybe rougher, but they do grow on you.