Well if you recall, I traveled to Suzhou last year for a long weekend during Dragon Boat Festival... and if you also recall, it was my least favorite destination of all the places I have traveled thus far. I really don't know why I disliked it so much... the rain, my company, the events of the weekend, or the city itself... but I never actually thought I would return.
Well Saturday was Anna's birthday (the big 3-0) and she wanted to go to Suzhou for the weekend. Her brother, Brian and his wife, Donna (living in Suzhou) are loaded and got a couple rooms are the Marriott for the weekend for her, and she invited us to go along with her (basically for free). Truth be told, I was really not looking forward to visiting Suzhou, but I figured that I couldn't go wrong spending the weekend with great people, so I packed a bag and jumped on a first class high speed train heading west with Anna, Brian, Donna, Amy, Christina and Willy (a friend of Brian's).
I will say that the Marriott was probably one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed in. Our 37th floor suit had a beautiful view of the city (well it would have been beautiful if there would have been a clear day), a shower with a glass wall, a jacuzzi bath tub and a fully stocked mini bar. Everyone was so nice and friendly, and since it is more of a business hotel, we were the youngest people, not to mention the only foreigners. After getting settled in, we headed to a bar in the lobby of the hotel. It was completely empty and drinks were crazy expensive... by Brian insisted on buying rounds after rounds of martinis and snacks for everyone. Then at midnight, got several rounds of shots while the live bar sang Happy Birthday for Anna! Suzhou was off to a great start!
The next morning, we got up and had an amazing buffet breakfast/brunch at the hotel, again that Brian insisted on paying for. It was nice of him to buy drinks, but at this point, I was feeling bad that he was picking up the tab for 6 people, and I was fighting to give him money. At the same time, they really are loaded so it is like buying 6 dollar menu cheese burgers. Anyway, that afternoon, Anna wanted to explore. Suzhou is known for the canal streets and water towns. To be honest, the water towns are pretty neat and everything... but they are all the same. Once you see one, you have seen them all, and I used to live in a water town when I lived in Qibao. Again, I didn't say much, but went along with what Anna wanted to do.
We walked around the city center, saw some old Chinese architecture, then wondered to the canal streets. Eventually, we ended up at a small bar off one of the canals, sat and had a couple beers (that I paid for before Brian could). That was probably the best part of the trip! We were laughing so much that we were crying, as we were racing to chug 40s of Tsing Tao. We left at 3:00pm drunk and sore for laughing! On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at an Alldays (7eleven) and bought them out of beers - 13 40oz Suntorys and Tsing Taos all for 48 yuan - the amount of one pint of beer at the hotel (score!). That evening, we went back to the hotel where we took advantage of the spa, and let me tell you that it was amazing! We sat in the steam room, the sauna, then swam in the pool and sat in the hot tub. We had the place to ourselves for the majority of the time, so we enjoyed it! That night, we returned to the lobby bar of the hotel, where Brian supplied us with three bottles of vodka and a bunch of sprite and tonic. We ordered a couple pizzas and hung out listening to a live singer.
I will admit that I am still not impressed with Suzhou. The history of the city is interesting, the architecture is cool (but not unlike anything you can see in any other Chinese city), but nothing about the city stands out! However, I did have a wonderful time being spoiled at the Marriott and hanging out with wonderful people. Anna really enjoyed her 30th birthday and I am glad that we got to spend it with her!
Looking forward to celebrating my birthday next weekend... 25 (26 in Chinese years)! Sure hope that it is better than last year when I spent the weekend vomiting with the flu. Next weekend, my roommates say that they have a plan for me during the day - little scared, but excited at the same time - then we are going on a party bus with my Drunken Dragon crew... really excited! Then HONG KONG in two weeks for birthday celebration part II :)
Well Saturday was Anna's birthday (the big 3-0) and she wanted to go to Suzhou for the weekend. Her brother, Brian and his wife, Donna (living in Suzhou) are loaded and got a couple rooms are the Marriott for the weekend for her, and she invited us to go along with her (basically for free). Truth be told, I was really not looking forward to visiting Suzhou, but I figured that I couldn't go wrong spending the weekend with great people, so I packed a bag and jumped on a first class high speed train heading west with Anna, Brian, Donna, Amy, Christina and Willy (a friend of Brian's).
(this is how class girls ride in first class on the fast train)
(our suit at the Marriott)
The next morning, we got up and had an amazing buffet breakfast/brunch at the hotel, again that Brian insisted on paying for. It was nice of him to buy drinks, but at this point, I was feeling bad that he was picking up the tab for 6 people, and I was fighting to give him money. At the same time, they really are loaded so it is like buying 6 dollar menu cheese burgers. Anyway, that afternoon, Anna wanted to explore. Suzhou is known for the canal streets and water towns. To be honest, the water towns are pretty neat and everything... but they are all the same. Once you see one, you have seen them all, and I used to live in a water town when I lived in Qibao. Again, I didn't say much, but went along with what Anna wanted to do.
We walked around the city center, saw some old Chinese architecture, then wondered to the canal streets. Eventually, we ended up at a small bar off one of the canals, sat and had a couple beers (that I paid for before Brian could). That was probably the best part of the trip! We were laughing so much that we were crying, as we were racing to chug 40s of Tsing Tao. We left at 3:00pm drunk and sore for laughing! On our way back to the hotel, we stopped at an Alldays (7eleven) and bought them out of beers - 13 40oz Suntorys and Tsing Taos all for 48 yuan - the amount of one pint of beer at the hotel (score!). That evening, we went back to the hotel where we took advantage of the spa, and let me tell you that it was amazing! We sat in the steam room, the sauna, then swam in the pool and sat in the hot tub. We had the place to ourselves for the majority of the time, so we enjoyed it! That night, we returned to the lobby bar of the hotel, where Brian supplied us with three bottles of vodka and a bunch of sprite and tonic. We ordered a couple pizzas and hung out listening to a live singer.
(some of the water town and canals)
I will admit that I am still not impressed with Suzhou. The history of the city is interesting, the architecture is cool (but not unlike anything you can see in any other Chinese city), but nothing about the city stands out! However, I did have a wonderful time being spoiled at the Marriott and hanging out with wonderful people. Anna really enjoyed her 30th birthday and I am glad that we got to spend it with her!
Looking forward to celebrating my birthday next weekend... 25 (26 in Chinese years)! Sure hope that it is better than last year when I spent the weekend vomiting with the flu. Next weekend, my roommates say that they have a plan for me during the day - little scared, but excited at the same time - then we are going on a party bus with my Drunken Dragon crew... really excited! Then HONG KONG in two weeks for birthday celebration part II :)
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