YANGZHOU: DAY 1

Last weekend was IUP's Spring semester field trip to Yangzhou in Jiangsu Province. As with last semester's trip to Xi'an, we took overnight trains in both directions, spending just one night in town. Our group of roughly 70 students, teachers, administrators and assorted companions dominated a train carriage filled with merriment, mockery and the generous sharing of snacks and drinks.

Views from the train heading south:

Morning on the train. Bunks are in rooms to the left and there are fold-out seats and little tables in this narrow aisle, through which carts of snacks and drinks intermittently pass.

Arriving in the morning our group was divided between two tour buses and deposited at this tourist site, Ge Garden (个园), a place apparently under the guidance of the "Jiangsu Provincial Steering Committee For Ideological and Ethical Advancement. Thank goodness.

One of the most famous ancient gardens in China, the place was absolutely packed and thus not particularly relaxing. The presence of our megaphone wielding tour guide made it even less so. These pictures give some idea of the crowds.

This was a cool little shrub with branches tied in dozens of loose knots. I never figured out the exact meaning, but I'm sure there was something mighty auspicious about it.

I mostly gave up on photographing unmolested scenery and instead took pictures of the people, including my cheese-loving classmates.

From Ge Garden we exited into a maze of hutongs filled with rickshaws and old men.

I think they liked us.

Eventually we arrived at this vast old dwelling, the name and significance of which I never got around to learning. Happily it was almost empty and we were allowed to wander around at will through dusty old bedrooms, leafy courtyards, and ancient corridors. To no one's surprise, it turns out the elites have always lived well.

Our next stop in Yangzhou was to the famed Slim West Lake (瘦西湖), apparently a popular tourist destination since the 3rd century A.D. The lake was long and noodle-y and very pretty, though admittedly thronged with people. There were bridges, boats, pavillions, and gardens, but my favorite part was the Cherry Blossoms. They made me think of home.

Escaping the crowds on the shore, Ding Ding and I wandered up the hill and were confronted with this surprising sight:

I demanded that we investigate.

It turned out to be a small amusement park with the above "crescent moon flyers", and other assorted kiddie rides, including go-carts driven by speed-crazed little emperors:

and these surprisingly good bumper cars (碰碰车, or 'bump bump car'):

5RMB (about 70 cents) bought us each our own car, and it as soon as it was over I was totally ready to do it again. Unfortunately we had to get back to the group.

On the way back towards the lake, we passed some performers in traditional Peking Opera garb. This old woman smiled at me sweetly and waved hello with an elegant swoosh of her long sleeves.

Leslie in a patch of purple flowers:

At the south end of the lake:

I skipped out on the last sight of the day and checked into the hotel early. The room I shared with one of the teachers was surprisingly deluxe, with brocade linens, mini-bar, and a dining room table and chairs. The bathroom had the usual freebies along with a basket of, erm, special products, including this package of "Senior Woman Trousers":

There were also several lotions and potions with hilarious English translations that I really wanted to take as souvenirs, but since they were 10RMB each and our rooms had already been paid for by IUP, I feared the eventuality of checking out and boarding the bus, only to have the teacher in charge of the trip demand I pay for the ox-head phallic stimulants I had removed from the room.

I joined a dozen or so other students for dinner at a local restaurant serving local cuisine but skipped out on the clubbing that went down afterwards. In the morning I discovered what a good decision this was after hearing from my classmates that one of the establishments had delivered to their table a number of glasses, one of which had feces on it. Yes, actual feces. The club staff agreed it was such, but provided no refund or remuneration. Incredibly, my classmates remained at this bar another hour or so and finished their round of drinks.

Perhaps some people through they might as well get some use out of all those Hepatitis vaccinations we all endured... or maybe all this studying is finally just getting to us.