being a water city what better way than to see it by gondola . You can find more information HERE
or you can find more information about Wuzhen here
. A little change of pace today as we all know that a picture says a "thousand words" so I'll let the photos do the talking
one of many stone arches
this town is over 1,000 years old and the homes do not have running water. Laundry has to be done in the river, and there are communal washrooms for the residents to use
Mrs Skoot enjoying our brief ride floating down the river
here is a view looking straight ahead
where else can you hang your laundry
as you notice most of the people walking around are tourists like ourselves, and the
Chinese people are now encouraged to travel to see their own country
the local streets are very narrow and we are walking on the original stone walkways. The homes are constructed of wood and it all looks original, and weathered
this town is separated into areas to highlight what it was like "back then". Here we went into a bed museum
we also visited their Mao Tai Jiu factory. It has a distinct smell and these urns are filled to the brim with liquor. Mao Tai has a very high alcohol content of 55% in their familiar white/red bottle
Imagine living 1,000 years ago with no modern conveniences, no electricity and no running water
Okay, you have now convinced me. I have to go to China to see these types of places for myself. Fantastic post Bob, just fantastic.
ReplyDeleteKind of reminded me of Venice but a bit more on the primitive side! : )
ReplyDeleteThanks Bob
dom
Redleg's Rides
Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner
Dear Bobskoot:
ReplyDeleteI would hesitate to eat or drink anything in a community where the H20 ran freely in a trench outside. picturesque as it might be, I'd wonder how the dishes were wqashed and where the toilets flushed into.
!,000 years ago, my ancestors thought the plague was normal.
Fondest regards,
Jack/reep
Twisted Roads
looks like similar architecture as shot in "memoirs of a geisha". im with gary, fantastic post bob! thanks for sharing such incredible travels with us.
ReplyDeleteWith this country being so new in comparison to those in Europe and Asia, the history of some towns amazes me.
ReplyDeleteI think it would be neat to travel back 1000 years just to see what the world was like without the technology we have today, but I think I am too attached to modern luxuries such as toilet paper and indoor plumbing. ;-)
Thanks for sharing Bob, it really looks like a cool place to visit.
Never been anyplace other than the states. Thanks for taking me someplace really boss!
ReplyDeleteBob,
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful pictures. I am not sure I could cope with communal restrooms or lack of running water. I guess I am spoiled. It is always a treat to see interesting places and see how others live in different places in the world.
What a fantastic place to explore. I love the narrow streets and the canal. Wonderful architecture, even the worn down parts. As charming as the views are, I can imagine it's difficult living with no water in the home. Great series of photos. I'm glad you rediscovered them!
ReplyDeleteGary:
ReplyDeletewe were on a tour so much of our time was "planned" for us. In our free time we saw the stuff "They" don't want you to see, and I have lots of stuff yet to show, if anyone is interested. Also our particular group was sponsored by the Government (Peoples Republic of China) so we got a bit of brainwashing on the bus
Charlie6:
A lot of cities revolve around water, and there are Canals everywhere. One particular looks like Venice with Gondolas, very modern with restaurants and higher end shopping
Jack:
I too was wondering where all the waste went, I shudder to think . . . and she was doing her laundry in it
Ms M:
I saw "Memoirs of a Geisha" but it was supposed to be in Japan. I did walk into some older areas, but it was hard to take photos, everyone was looking at you, and of course we can be spotted as foreigners right away.
Trobairitz:
I don't think I could go back in time either, but you don't know what you are missing if you have never experienced modern conveniences. We take everything for granted, like electricity and indoor plumbing
Viking Dave:
Except for Hawai'i, this was the first time I had been off the North American continent. I also tried to take photos of the scooter/motorcycle scene but there is no enjoyment riding over there. vehicles are all used for transportation, no pride of ownership, just for their utility, and they follow NO laws, nor is there any rhyme nor reason to which way they go
Dar:
I agree with the communal thing, but it's natural that we expell waste. Most ancient homes have no water so they have these communal washroom facilites in separate buildings every couple of blocks, no doors on the stalls and just "sort of" holes in the ground for you to squat. I have lots of photos and it doesn't bring back good memories. Lucky thing our hotels were American style. Make sure you bring lots of Imodium
bluekat:
You would have a great time with your camera over there. so much to see and photograph
Nice documentation. No kidding, living without the modern convenience would be difficult.
ReplyDeleteBob, may I recommend you a trip to Taiwan. You will have a great time, just from sampling all the food in the night market, which is very different from what Vancouver offers.