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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