Day Tour to Suzhou

On one of the tours from Shanghai we went to Suzhou, an ancient water city. It was a very long day but well worth the visit. The ancient city of Suzhou had lots to see, and our tour guide was very helpful with the information of this part of China. These old water cities are amazing - and as Australia has such a short history (well, we have no cities much over 200 years!), I am always fascinated by these old cities and villages that go back some thousands of years.

In Suzhou we visited the remnants of an old village and an old wall that once upon a time a long time ago, surrounded a village and kept the enemy out. It was all very beautiful. In the walk to the area there were several traders selling all sorts of old items - trying to entice the tourists to spend more money. There were some items decorated with people in different sex positions, and Chairman Mao's Little Red Book was on sale too.

There are several famous gardens in Suzhou and we went to one which was very beatufiul. As well there were beautiful young girls playing their instruments in various pavillions around the gardens. Everything so beautiful.

Shanghai and the Purr!

When we were in Shanghai we went on several tours. Our first tour was of the city – a full day tour which took us around the amazing Shanghai. I always like to do this sort of tour early on a visit to a different place. It is far more interesting than trying to find everything by oneself, and with a good tour guide, there is much more extra information.

I had been to Shanghai before – a short two day visit with two of my fellow teachers from the college and we walked for miles. Somehow I think I might have preferred to do a tour, even though I enjoyed most of the long walk we did that weekend!

Naturally on the day tour we went to places that I’d not seen before. One that was most fascinating was Old China Town, which we could actually see from the window of our apartment. But seeing it close up was amazing. The old Chinese architecture - and the wonderful gardens inside.

Much of the area is retail – and you could have an amazing day of retail therapy here. Our tour guide whisked us through the complex giving us little time to part with our money but it was well worth seeing, and we did go back again later to experience some of this retail heaven.

Inside Old China Town is a wonderful garden – with an amazing history. How well the Chinese planned these gardens, and how wonderful it is to have a tour guide explain things. Our tour guide was very good, but one part of her spiel confused us. She pointed out some of the amazing stone carvings that were on the walls of this ancient garden, and spoke of the “Purr in the mouth of the dragon.” The English teacher in me came out and I asked for more information. I did not understand.

I asked her how to spell the word “purr”. She said “P E A R” - then we understood. She meant ‘PEARL’ as Pearls are grown around Shanghai. It was so funny as we explained it to her, and had her practice the correct pronunciation. PEARL. Each time afterwards that she had to say the word she looked at MM and myself and carefully spoke the word emphasising the “L” .

It was a full on day. As well as old China Town and the gardens, we visited Pearl City where they tried to sell us wonderful pearl jewelry, we saw the Bund, details of our tour are here. though we did not visit the Silk Factory in Shanghai. Details of a tour are here.

In Old China Town we visit the Jade Buddha Temple, and enjoyed a simple tea ceremony in the Tea House. It was very interesting and there was efforts to get us to purchase tea which had therapeutic benefits. We resistedWe had lunch with our fellow vistors in a huge Chinese restaurant. The food was good and the company great. We met two travellers from New Zealand – Wanda and Adam – who were on their way to the UK and Canada. We met up with them again a few days later on another tour.

Int he afternoon we visited the Shanghai Museum - how amazing. We could spend hours and hours there, but being on a tour we had limited timeIt was an amazing day – and exhausting. But it gave us good insight into Shanghai.

Mondayitis

Here it is Monday August 4th and I am up very early. My husband is in hospital - hopefully sleeping but perhaps not as he is to be operated on this morning. Two knee replacements. I don't envy him. It sounds very scary.

Today I have so many things to do, but one is to update my blogs. I've been neglectful, but I have my new computer going now - thanks to my favourite son-in-law! Complete with Vista! So far so good. Actually I am impressed with it. Hopefully I will not have any of the challenges that others have had with it. It looks pretty impressive to me.

So, today I must do many things include prepare for a talk I am giving tomorrow. In part about my career but very much about my China adventure. I'll have to select some photos today to show, and finish off writing my speech. And maybe visit MM in hospital at some stage. I think he will not be keen for visitors today though. We will see.

Mondayitis? This is the name of the Chamber of Commerce Monday networking coffee morning. I think I will go this morning.

My apologies for my neglect!

I've been back in Australia for three weeks and a few days by now. And I've been busy. My new computer is being repaired and it has most of my photos. I do have them backed up, but I prefer to use that computer. This one gives me challenges too sometimes.

When I arrived back in Brisbane I learned that my mother had had a fall and had been in hospital so I quickly flew to Adelaide to see what I could do for them. Not easy. My folks are pretty stubborn and independent! My father had his 89th birthday while I was there, and later this year my mother will be 93. Ripe old age. I think I've been successful in convincing them to have some home support - but despite the fact that they "want help" they found it difficult to accept strangers coming into their home.

Back in Brisbane I found many things to do. Housework among the things that I had to do, and I've been housesitting too.

Now I find time is quickly running out again. I've got my air fare to China organised, I'm guest speaker at a function next week, and I've found other things to do - and I must finish a manuscript!

As well MM is going into hospital next week for two knee replacements. How busy will I be????

Anyway, I will update this blog more now, and find some of the photos and stories from the week in Shanghai and the week in Singapore!

Advertising by boat

In Shanghai the Huangpu River divides old Shanghai and new Shanghai (Pudong), and on both sides of the river there are wonderful places tourists to visit and see the river and it's activities.

The river is very busy as large boats come and go along the stretch of the river to and from the China Sea, and smaller boats go back and forth all day transporting all sorts of goods. Tourists boats too go back and forward too to show the old and new of Shanghai, and we went on one of these late one afternoon. It is spectacular seeing the buildings on both sides of the river - fascinating to see the old buildings along the Bund. At night the lighting is spectacular.

One thing that is fascinating was the number of boats that seem to do nothing but advertise various products and services. As there are usually thousands of people along the banks of the river, especially at weekends, holidays and at night. So it is a good way to get business messages to the masses. There were several boats that at night were brightly lit with active neon signs. Something that I'd not seen before except in Shanghai.

The lights seem to get through the fog/smog too!

More interesting fruit

It's funny but it is just one of those things. We don't know much about fruits that are grown and eaten in other countries. It was a surprise to me to see how many different fruits were in the streets, markets and supermarkets in China.

I'd seen these fruits before - but no one could tell me what they were. Eventually I learned that they were mangosteen. In Shanghai there were several people like this with huge heavy baskets of these fruit. We bought some - which caused quite a bit of amusement, I think because we paid far too much money for our small supply.

The fruit are very tasty - similar to lychees. The dark skin is thick and hard and inside there are wonderful white segments of fruit.

I found them difficult to get into the fruit - in part because we did not have a good knife to use. Perhaps at some time later I can try again. Perhaps I can learn a little bit more about how to use this fruit.

Trying hard to cope

I'm back home, sort of. I'm actually house sitting in a house not far from where my husband and I live when things are "normal". I arrived home from China via Singapore on July 7th, and learned that my mother had been in hospital, so I arranged to go to Adelaide and visit her and my father.

My father celebrated his 89th birthday on July 16th - so we had a small party, but his life is difficult as he is my mother's carer. My mother is 92 years of age, and slowly but surely she is "losing it." She is often confused, and despite her protestations that she cleans every day, cooks every day and carries on as normal, the reality is that she has been doing very little for a long time.

She fell in her room one night about 2 am and broke several ribs as it turns out. Dad woke and helped her back to bed and in the morning tried to get medical help for her. Not easy as I will explain later. Mum's story is that it happened during the day, and it was deliberate as she was throwing her jewelry onto a cupboard. Not true, Mum.

Dad called the doctor in the morning, but was told the doctor does not do house calls. Not in fact true - but the reality is that it was a hospital/ambulance situation, and it took several hours for an ambulance to arrive. When the took the x-rays, they reported no injury and sent for Dad to take Mum home. It was obvious to him when she returned home that she and he could not cope, and eventually she was admitted to hospital. (Later, it was found that she had broken several ribs - whoever read the x-ray initially did not notice!!!!!)

Mother spend nearly two weeks in hospital - but her mental state deteriorated which was possibly due to her medication. They gave her pain killers, and increased her other medication, and it appears there was some conflict.

I do get the impression that if someone is in their 90's there's not a lot done for them.

In any case Mum was eventually taken home, but it was clear from my conversations with both Mum and Dad that all was not well.

My sister had been in regular contact with them and visited Mum in hospital - but the reality is that there needed to be an "advocate" for my mother and father. Someone with some medical/nursing knowledge.

That is where I come in! As an ex nurse I have some expertise - though I am unfamiliar with the system in South Australia. It is not easy to manage a situation like this. Like many elderly people they refuse all assistance. I had to be very sneaky to get information and support.

My "walk around the neighbourhood" was not about exercise, but I found my way to the doctor's surgery and spoke with the nurse practitioner. For some reason they thought all was well with my parents. They put on a "show" indicating all is well - such is their desire to remain at home without needing to go to retirement accommodation.

I managed to make phone calls to support services. I managed to meet her doctor and attempt to inform him of the challenges that my parents face. In time I might get the support services they need to remain at home. It is obvious they cannot remain at home without some support. But neither of them are nursing home material yet - if they can get some support.

So I've been in Adelaide for a few days, and still have spend little time at home, and little time catching up on things I need to.

One of the hard decisions I will have to make is whether to return to China at the end of August. All is in place to do so, but I worry about my parents.

Meanwhile if I can catch up on some sleep, I might get around to updating this blog with the photos and information from two amazing weeks - one in Shanghai and one in Singapore.

Tomorrow maybe.