Last weekend I went to Dongshan for the first time since I have returned to Suzhou. I have missed this place and this time I went with Sissi and her friends, they had a car and so it was way more convenient getting there. None of them had been there before and so it was the foreigner leading the locals which was rather amusing. On the way to the village we pass many Loquat fruit trees and some other berries which I’m not sure of the name. There are cameras here and there are also many people working tending the plants and trees, but this doesn’t stop the Chinese from trying to get free fruit. Maybe I’m too old these days but I tend to respect these areas. We are allowed to walk through these very productive orchards and it will only take a few people having this kind of behaviour to bring the whole thing to a halt. Don’t get me wrong I’m not holier than thou in my old age but I pick the time and place with a bit more thought.

The main 24 step climb was a breeze and so I guess the training every morning must be doing something.

I never get sick of this place, however being the weekend there are a lot more people around than I’m used too. It’s just not the same.

When we arrived at the village the first thing on the agenda was lunch but as usual I had brought a few big Baozhi (big dumplings) which I like as I’m not a fan of the lake food on offer. I find most of this food quite tasteless and I don’t understand why it’s so popular. It’s like oysters, if they are so good then why have Oysters Kirkpatrick. You don’t taste the oysters because the other flavours are too strong and yet a wee oyster has died for no reason as far as I can see.

I will go to Dongshan soon but I’ll go during the week. I want to get a good bike so that I can try cycling around this place because it looks like quite a challenge.