Venice?
If you stare at it a bit you can almost hear the silence... I think it's the still water responsible for that effect...
The weather was nasty. It was cold - end of December, around 5 degrees Celsius - and drizzling the whole day. My shoes were soaking, the water was creeping up my trousers and my mood wasn't too great, slouching through the rain after only 4 hours of sleep. But my mood lifted pretty quickly when I saw the scenery. And there are some advantages to not so great weather: less tourists polluting the nice scenes and the rain and mist do give a different atmosphere you won't find in the brochures.
It's Zhouzhuang, an hour drive from Shanghai, also called 'the Venice of China'... you can see why...
From a Chinese travel brochure:
Zhouzhuang, one of the most famous water townships in China, situated in Kunshan City which is only 30 kilometers (18 miles) southeast of Suzhou. It is noted for its profound cultural background, the well preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the strong local colored traditions and customs. In the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC), Zhouzhuang was a part of the fief Yaocheng and called Zhenfengli. After being donated to Full Fortune (Quanfu) Temple by Zhou Digong, a very devout Buddhist, in 1086 during the Northern Song Dynasty (960 - 1127), Zhouzhuang got its present name as a memorial of the donor. In an area of half a square kilometer (124 acres), 60 percent of the Zhouzhuang's structures were built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which is from 1368 to 1911.
More photos of this trip in the album 'Zhouzhuang [Shanghai 2007]' on the main page...
Canon EOS 40D with Canon EF 35mm f/2.0
Zhouzhuang, China - 22 December 2007
If you stare at it a bit you can almost hear the silence... I think it's the still water responsible for that effect...
The weather was nasty. It was cold - end of December, around 5 degrees Celsius - and drizzling the whole day. My shoes were soaking, the water was creeping up my trousers and my mood wasn't too great, slouching through the rain after only 4 hours of sleep. But my mood lifted pretty quickly when I saw the scenery. And there are some advantages to not so great weather: less tourists polluting the nice scenes and the rain and mist do give a different atmosphere you won't find in the brochures.
It's Zhouzhuang, an hour drive from Shanghai, also called 'the Venice of China'... you can see why...
From a Chinese travel brochure:
Zhouzhuang, one of the most famous water townships in China, situated in Kunshan City which is only 30 kilometers (18 miles) southeast of Suzhou. It is noted for its profound cultural background, the well preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the strong local colored traditions and customs. In the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC), Zhouzhuang was a part of the fief Yaocheng and called Zhenfengli. After being donated to Full Fortune (Quanfu) Temple by Zhou Digong, a very devout Buddhist, in 1086 during the Northern Song Dynasty (960 - 1127), Zhouzhuang got its present name as a memorial of the donor. In an area of half a square kilometer (124 acres), 60 percent of the Zhouzhuang's structures were built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which is from 1368 to 1911.
More photos of this trip in the album 'Zhouzhuang [Shanghai 2007]' on the main page...
Canon EOS 40D with Canon EF 35mm f/2.0
Zhouzhuang, China - 22 December 2007
The weather was nasty. It was cold - end of December, around 5 degrees Celsius - and drizzling the whole day. My shoes were soaking, the water was creeping up my trousers and my mood wasn't too great, slouching through the rain after only 4 hours of sleep. But my mood lifted pretty quickly when I saw the scenery. And there are some advantages to not so great weather: less tourists polluting the nice scenes and the rain and mist do give a different atmosphere you won't find in the brochures.
It's Zhouzhuang, an hour drive from Shanghai, also called 'the Venice of China'... you can see why...
From a Chinese travel brochure:
Zhouzhuang, one of the most famous water townships in China, situated in Kunshan City which is only 30 kilometers (18 miles) southeast of Suzhou. It is noted for its profound cultural background, the well preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the strong local colored traditions and customs. In the Spring and Autumn Period (770 - 476 BC), Zhouzhuang was a part of the fief Yaocheng and called Zhenfengli. After being donated to Full Fortune (Quanfu) Temple by Zhou Digong, a very devout Buddhist, in 1086 during the Northern Song Dynasty (960 - 1127), Zhouzhuang got its present name as a memorial of the donor. In an area of half a square kilometer (124 acres), 60 percent of the Zhouzhuang's structures were built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which is from 1368 to 1911.
More photos of this trip in the album 'Zhouzhuang [Shanghai 2007]' on the main page...
Canon EOS 40D with Canon EF 35mm f/2.0
Zhouzhuang, China - 22 December 2007