Last Sunday morning we all met at Lindun Lu station, it was hot and sticky and the humidity was very high………just standing there made you break into a sweat but the weather didn’t deter today’s group. There were familiar faces and of course when you go to an Album of Suzhou event you will always meet someone new.

Our first port of call was the Zhuangyuan Museum which is just a short walk from Lindun Lu, I’ve passed this beautiful building many times and I have been meaning to stick my head in here to see what it was all about and today I got the chance

We were met by Viola, who looks after the museum and she was kind enough to be our guide for our visit and this was very lucky for us, she is fluent in English and so the many foreigners that came were very privileged and lucky to have such a guide this morning.
It’s a fascinating little museum and I will return here again to have a second look. This wonderful small museum really explains the journey that the scholars took and the difficulties faced, it even show’s examples of some of the more enterprising scholars that created cheat books to help them on their travels through this mental obstacle course. But apart from all of that the building itself is stunning and the architecture and the design is compact and elegant. The many subtleties around the building were pointed out by Viola and this for me is what I enjoyed the most.
We were also allowed to try on some traditional clothing and try to see what we would look like if we were lucky enough to be chosen to be scholars, although in this hot Suzhou weather they were not the most comfortable clothes to wear, but ideal for winter I would say.

We left here and then after a short stroll through the back streets around Pingjiang Lu we made our way to the China Kunqu Museum. I had been here before with a friend and I was lucky enough to actually see a performance, but today we were given a tour of the museum and again we were lucky to have a young guide that could explain to us in English.

There were so many details that I was completely unaware of, but again for me it is the architecture that I find the most interesting.

Today’s walk with the Album of Suzhou team was a short 3 hours and to be honest on such a hot day it was perfectly timed. My friend Lydia and I went off to have lunch before we returned to the beginning of our tour, and back to the Zhuangyuan Museum, but this time we popped into the small cafe and gift shop adjacent to the entrance where we had one of the best cups of black coffee you will have in Suzhou and if you are a lover of coffee, don’t waste your time going to Starbucks, come here and experience a wonderfully smooth cup of coffee and relax after your visit to the museum.

The journey by train from Suzhou to Xuzhou took about 2 ½ hours but unfortunately it was marred by the amount of children around me. They were kicking the seats and screaming and the parents were too busy playing on their mobile phones to be interested in any form of discipline and so I was anxious to get off the train and I was really hoping that travelling all this way under such conditions would be worth it and too be honest, I was not disappointed.

I met the rest of the group just outside the train station standing in the shade hiding from the blistering sun. Xuzhou was extremely hot but a little drier than Suzhou. As we crossed over to the bus under the sun drenched sky I decided that the factor 50 SPF would be getting used here. Once we got loaded into the bus and then given some refreshing cool water we were whisked off to our first destination which was Turtle Mountain. 30 minutes later we arrived and it seemed like we were all preparing for battle before we got off the bus, only it was cameras at the ready. Everybody was preparing their technology and polishing lenses and pairing their Bluetooth devices, we were getting ready for everything and anything.

We disembarked and immediately stepped forward to get a good vantage point to take in the commanding view of the Guishan Han Tomb that stood before us. We jostled for position but the sun was winning and so we headed inside to the comfort of air-conditioning.

The tour guide’s explanation was lost on me, however there are many English translations around so that someone like myself will not miss out on the finer details of this wonderful place and of course Ning was able to explain to me and translate for me if need be. I love going to these places and the workmanship and specifications of this place are astounding. The level of accuracy that the builders achieved is amazing and of course this was done over 2000 years ago when there were no fancy technical gadgets around to help them, or maybe there was and we just don’t know.

We explored the tomb, which is in fact is a complete underground palace and on a hot day it was the perfect place to be, it reminded me of the underground hotel I once stayed in at Coober Pedy in South Australia where the temperature can get up to 50c. Unfortunately we had to leave the comfort of this wonderful place and we headed through the lovely manicured gardens towards to the museum where we were able to see what it was like to live at that time. Even here there were plenty of English translations which of course are so important for me to help me know and to understand. And may I say that I always like to look for Chinglish when I travel and I was rather disappointed not to find any.

Of all the exhibits on show here, and there are many, I loved the cheating books. The Chinese are famous for being able to write on a grain of rice but these books were just incredible and also hanging on the wall was a silk sheet which was covered in writing so small that there is even a magnifying glass there so that you can see the writing. What dexterity and patience they must have had to create such a masterpiece even although it was going to be used for dastardly deeds. A little further on there was 4 scrolls opened and hung up on the wall, each were about 3 m long and they were covered in writing. These were the exam papers and it took the students 3 days to complete each one.

After the museum we went through into a small garden, it was at this point I decided to have ice cream and I lost the group but I needed my ice cream. The garden design is very different from what I’m used to seeing in Suzhou. Many of the gardens in Suzhou have hidden features and the paths twist and turn and they all look quite similar, but this garden was open and very proud and didn’t seem to have that sense of being too private like the Suzhou gardens. This garden was here to be enjoyed and to be seen and it felt more welcoming because everything was on show.

My favourite part of this garden was the table sculpture that looked like the last supper and all the characters were pigs, it was great.

By this stage I was hanging out for food, I was so hungry that I was prepared to eat anything. My ice cream had sustained me for a short time but now my stomach was telling me to find food and fast.

We pulled up outside a restaurant that seemed very busy, we couldn’t get parked. The name is 老磨坊(Lao Mo Fang) the door opens and the smells and the sights overwhelm the senses. As you enter you pass the kitchen on the left and there is food everywhere. The colours, the variety, the textures, the smells all contribute to making you ready to sit down and begin to savour what is on offer .We are led up to the second floor passing through this colourful stairwell up to our private room and it looked as if we were back in the tomb because of the earthen walls.

The table is exquisitely laid out and so the cameras are out and we all get a few snaps. We finally are able to sit down and soon the first dishes arrive, but we cannot begin to eat yet because the photographers are at the ready to capture the food in all its glory before we devour it. Some of the food does look too good to eat and it could be used as a piece of art, but we are all hungry. Dish after dish arrives and slowly the table is spun and we can begin. The once beautiful plates of food are no more than a distant memory, only traces of what was there a few moments earlier, but the food just kept coming, dish after dish of delicious perfectly presented food that tasted as good if not better than it looked. It was great.

I felt fat and I was ready for a snooze and so we headed for the Hanzhong Fuxi International Hotel, which is diagonally opposite a shopping centre with many international brands. Check in was easy and then I went to my room. The room was large and comfortable and the air-con cool and so I was ready to sleep.

It’s been a great day and the memories of my train journey were long forgotten.

Day 2

Up early and back on the bus so that we could go to Fu Yang Festival in Pengyuan Park where they also worship Peng Zu (Ancestor Peng or Peng Keng), a legendary long-lived figure known as the founder of the Chinese cookery tradition. When we arrived the place was buzzing with so many people and there were so many characters dressed up in traditional garb which must have been so hot to wear, I only had a light shirt on and I was melting. There were banks of photographers ready to record the festivities. I made my way up to the temple to find some shade, picked a spot. There were lines and lines of chefs all here to take part in the ceremony. There was an amazing performance by the Lion Dancers, absolutely perfect and so colourful too boot. Under the sun drenched sky they must have found it so difficult to perform but they never put a foot wrong.

It was noisy, it was colourful and it was a privilege to come and witness……………….

We strolled around the park and took some pictures before we headed for lunch and then we were off to the Ancient Town of Yaowan.

Lunch was another amazing experience, the room was large and the table filled the space and once more we were getting ready for a treat. Of course like the night before it was” cameras at the ready” and then let the banquet begin. I knew what to expect this time and so I was a little more patient but then the hunger pangs kick in, you have to just dive in. The food was delicious and there were so many different kinds of food on offer and once more I left the table feeling fat and content and ready for a snooze.

It took about 2 hours to get to the old town. We arrived at 3pm and went to explore. I really enjoy going to these old places and I ended up as usual falling behind the group, but it allowed me to explore at my own pace. Pl

The giant abacus was great, the old temple and the long narrow streets. You walk through a small entrance and you are in another courtyard where at first I thought they were making alcohol but alas it turned out to be Soy sauce I think, but the smell was great. The town was not so busy and we able to wander around for a few hours before we headed to our hotel which was on the edge of the old town, we could have walked but we jumped back on the bus for the short ride to a wonderful small hotel for the evening.

The hotel was really nice, inside the court yard the gardens were being renovated and they were already looking good. The room was very comfortable and I slept well.

Day 3

Up early and down for the simple breakfast, which was delicious, and then just after 8am we got back on the bus and began our journey back to Xuzhou.

We were now going to the Lion Mountain Chu Wang Mausoleum where when opened it they discovered many small terracotta figures. I only thought that Xi’an could boast of having terracotta figures but here was the miniature version. I loved it and again the adjacent museum is tastefully set out, giving plenty of descriptions in English and the exhibits were wonderful. The displays really give you and incite to that moment in time. I loved the detail on the small figures. I particularly liked these smiling horses

I could have stayed for longer than I was able too, but we had to move on and walked through to other areas to see the other finds which consisted of many stone carvings in relief and one of the few carvings depicting a marriage ceremony. I loved this.place.

We finished off our tour here by visiting the Shizishan Chu Prince Mausoleum; it wasn’t as big as the underground palace that we had seen the other day but nevertheless is was still very impressive. I loved the entrance, it was brightly coloured and I was not sure if I was going into a nightclub, but either way it was going to be exciting. Once more it’s really very difficult to imagine how this place could be constructed so many years ago with only simple tools, but yet here it is and it’s another masterpiece, I particularly liked the sarcophagus that were in situ and then inside a glass case we got to see the amazing Jade burial suit that was made from hundreds of tiny pieces of jade all sown together. It’s a fascinating place and it was a great way to end our trip to one of China’s major Cultural sites. We had a lot of time here but there are so many interesting exhibits and before you know it, once again it was time to savour the wonderful food of Xuzhou.

Xuzhou cuisine is very good and my good friend Julie has told me this for many years and I’m so happy that I have been able to come here and experience not just the wonderful food but the hospitality of Xuzhou. We have been treated to some wonderful experiences here and to finish off our wonderful trip we were treated to another food extravaganza. I particularly liked the pictures on the wall of our private room in the restaurant, old pictures of Shanghai and glamorous looking women. The old typewriter and desk was a lovely touch and up at the back under the magnificent picture of Shanghai was a big leather Chesterfield settee to relax on.

The food once again was magnificent and after the obligatory photo shoot we got to sample some of the best food in China, I even tried Cicada and they were so good I went back for more. I think this must be some of the best food I’ve ever had in China and it has so much more flavour than what I’m used to in Suzhou.

My short trip to Xuzhou was coming to an end and I was not really looking forward to the train journey back home as I still had the memories of my trip here. But you know it was worth the pain and suffering of the train journey. I was given a glimpse of what Xuzhou has to offer in the way of history, its culture and its food and this made it all worth it. The Tongcheng travel company had made sure that all our needs were catered for, they looked after everyone, organised everything, fed us till we were fat and then were kind enough to give us a wonderful bed in the evening. I cannot thank them enough for giving me a marvellous introduction to Xuzhou and I will be back for sure. And if you are thinking of planning a trip then I suggest you give them a call because they will look after you very well, I felt like an Emperor and they will allow you to enjoy your holiday at a good pace Thanks again to everyone at Tongcheng who made this possible, I look forward to seeing you again soon.

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I cycled back from the shops last night under the blood red moon which was too difficult to see due to some of the wonderful light pollution in Suzhou.

A speech for the Bremer Forum

It’s hard to pick just one moment in time where I have been content because I have had so many wonderful experiences on this journey. I was born on the 23 July 1960 and so this means that I turned 58 yesterday and I still have the hunger for adventure and for just being stupid and not to take life so seriously. Sometime I wish I had gone down the path of a career because I know if I put my mind to something then you will not stop me, but I haven’t always been this confident.

I realise luck has a big hand to play in my life and I’ve always felt as if someone has been watching over me most of my life, (not god or a religious deity of course) and there are too many instances to tell you about here, but take my word for it.

I wish I had all the toys and the big house and a credit card that just kept on working but alas at the moment I have to play each day as it comes and I have to watch the pennies because there is only just enough coming in to pay the bills, but you know I don’t feel like I have that heavy burden on my shoulders, I feel free and I feel I can do what I want. China has given me the opportunity to reinvent myself and to spend most of my time, writing or being asked to speak at an event where I learn something about the culture, Christ I’ve even made a few short movies. Every day is a challenge, but challenges that can usually be surmounted quite easily.

Life is short and life can be cruel as we all know and so I grabbed this chance to come here and face a new life.

My Ice cream van, what a hoot that was and I and more money than I knew what to do with.

Driving buses may seem mundane but trust me if you had come along for a ride with me you would have got your money’s worth.

1988 off to Australia and an 8000 km drive through the Outback.

First trip to China,

The Colosseum

Scotland, home twice is 2 years and it felt great

I miss my friends in Australia

Ah the Taj Mahal, what an amazing place

The Great Wall of China,

And the final place is Angkor Thom in Cambodia, I’ve been twice but on this occasion I was lucky enough to have this one spot all to myself and I’d never felt so peaceful in my life. These moments are few and far between. I was at one with my surroundings and with the universe and I think you can see that in this picture. This was my moment of Zen.

I was invited once again to go to the Samsung English club, they have a variety of foreigners that go along and I have already been twice this month. The first night we spoke about Technology Addiction, the next night we spoke about Interesting English and Idioms and the like and last night it was all about music. I thought I would take them back to my youth and tell them about some of the music I have listened to over the years. I gave them Thin Lizzy which went down not too bad, the Sex Pistols went down well, Black Sabbath, Donna Summer, The Tramps, David Bowie, Shalamar,

but the one that blew their minds was Prince. I played them “Kiss” by Prince and they didn’t know where to look, it was funny to watch them trying to figure out what it was all about.

The host gave me good feedback and said that this was the biggest meeting they have had to date.

I topped off with showing them Dragon House

The food in Xuzhou was great apart from a handful of dishes. I ate almost everything that was put in front of me apart from the fish, I even ate some cicadas that had been roasted, they were a little crunchy and a wee bit chewy but not bad.

The first place we went to specialised in all things sheep. When we entered the small room it was cameras oot and let the party begin. This was food porn for some I think. Many of the dishes looked amazing, the preparation was perfect which always lulls you into thinking that it will also be delicious which is often not the case.

I thought I was in luck because the waitress brought the dishes to my side of the table and myself and the young Russian girl were thinking this is good. But little did we know we were dealing with professionals that had been in this situation many times and so it went like this.

Don’t touch the food until it’s been photographed and then you can dig in.All the camera’s were on the other side of the table and immediately after the pictures were snapped the vultures dived in and it was an effort just to get the table back round to us to grab some food.

If you have not eaten in a Chinese restaurant then you will not understand but the centre of the table turns and you spin it around and then grab food as it stops in front of you, but the more expert you are the more crafty you are too.

Politeness to the two foreigners only extends so far and then you have to keep a hold of the table with one hand and then use the chopsticks to grab what you can. And some of the women here are pretty strong and you can see that by their physique and the deft way that they can quickly dissect a plate of food.

But to be honest there was no fear of not having enough food because as usual there is too much food brought to the table and there is so much waste. I just hope that they actually do something constructive with the left over food rather than just bin it. Apparently if you finish all the food that is brought to you they will continue to bring more food but when you stop eating and leave all this food, they then realise you are full and finally stop the onslaught.

Two very different outcomes when different cultures come together. We of course think its rude to leave food and so we endeavour to clean our plate but the Chinese read this as these foreigners are greedy bastards.

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I was very lucky to be invited by the Tongcheng Travel company of Suzhou to take part in a trip to Xuzhou which is about 2 ½ hours north of Suzhou when you travel on the high speed train. A very good friend of mine comes from here and she has always told me how good the food is from this part of China and to be honest it did not disappoint, we had so much to choose from and there was an array of food on offer.

I met the rest of the group at the station and my translator for the duration was Ning, a lovely girl who just happens to be married to a Scotsman and so she had little trouble understanding me, although her husband does come from Edinburgh but the less said about that the better I think.

Xuzhou was hot, really hot, but at least the humidity was lower than Suzhou. Leaving the relative comfort of the station to cross the concourse to the bus made me think that this is how an egg must feel when dropped into a frying pan, it was blistering. The bus was cool and so once the door was closed we headed off to our first port of call which was the Tomb of the Chu King (Liu Wu), Zhulin Temple

The detail on the figures and the amount of effort that was put into making this tomb and all the artefacts is incredible. When you enter the tomb on the right hand corridor you are immediately aware of the scale of this place. This tomb has been carved out of very hard rock and you can see all the cuts made by the tools. There are details on the roof as well as the walls. It’s a complete underground palace with 15 chambers including a toilet. There are two alleys parallel to each other which are 19 m apart and there is no more than a 5 mm variance between the two alleys.

It’s an amazing piece of architecture that has been skillfully constructed in the year 127 BC when the variety of tools on offer was very limited. It’s hard to imagine just how difficult it would have been to design and construct such a place and it was completed in 13 years and it covers an area of 700 m2.

I think it would be a great place to stay today because it was so cool inside and it was difficult to drag ourselves away to return to the blistering heat.

We left the tomb and went and had a look at the museum which has the usual bits and pieces but once thing that was really incredible were the “cheat books” There was a collection of books on display that were so small that it’s a wonder that anyone could read them, never mind produce them.

On the wall there was a silk sheet covered in writing and the museum had put a magnifying glass there so that you could see the characters. I have no idea how anyone would be able to write so small and so neatly on a piece of silk and then use it as a cheat sheet. The books are even more amazing when you see the size of them, they are smaller than a pack of cigarettes and yet the writing is neat. It’s the fact that these items were produced so many years ago when they didn’t have modern technology.

These books were created to help the students pass the rigorous exams that lasted over 9 days. The students had to complete 3 out of the 4 pieces of paper that you can see here. Each one took 3 days to complete.

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I was thinking tonight at dinner that the PowerPoint seems very happy 😊

I’m on the high speed train going to a place called Xuzhou about 3 hours north of Suzhou. I’ve been invited to go to a tour in this area for two days which I’m looking forward too, but what I’m not enjoying is the process of getting there. Having to use public transport at the weekend when every Tom, Dick and Harry or Harriet and having their extremely annoying children with them. Of course many of the parents are also fucking annoying because they play music with no headphones. Oh and they talk too fucking loud. The Grandparents are left to look after the kids while the parents take absolutely no responsibility. The result is that the children get out of control and the parents have gone into a coma state.

The smell of shit is in the air and this I would imagine is from some of the young kids but then again when I was in the queue to get info the station someone in front was touching cloth.

The infrastructure may be modern in China but some of the inhabitants have still got a long way to go to becoming civilised and to be aware of others and act in a manner more fitting in public.

I was reminded by Facebook that on the 10th of July 2016 I arrived in London after my long haul business class flight on Cathy Pacific. I also remember that the flight got delayed 3 hours due to the tail end of a typhoon and once again there is a Typhoon in the neighbourhood causing problems. The picture from Facebook is of me standing there wrapped up with the thermal gear on in various locations in London cause it was Baltic and of course this year everyone is passing oot because of the heat. Best summer since the legendary 1976 summer of love. Every 42 years the UK gets a summer that they can remember, I wonder if I’ll see the next one.

Life of course is very different for me, I’m now living in China and for the moment I am enjoying it. So in two years time I will have to renew my visa once more for China and who know where I will end up. Maybe I will still be here or maybe the UK, I guess I’ll just have to see. But one thing is for sure I won’t be posting madly on Facebook every time I pick my nose.