Pinjan Road and Suzhou Museum

After visiting the Humble Administrators Garden, we went to Pinjang Road. We wanted to have something to eat there. However, the street was a challenge for our noses. There were several street food stalls offering 'Stinking Tofu'. It is very popular among Chinese youth, but for us, it was unimaginable to eat this foul-smelling stuff.

However, there were also some nice shops, such as a store with dried flowers or a stand selling rice cakes.

Pinjang Road is the oldest street in Suzhou and is over 2,500 years old. It is located by a canal, which is the starting point for the vast canal network. That's why Suzhou is also called the 'Venice of the East'.

After the (really great) lunch, we visited the Suzhou Museum. It was designed by the internationally renowned architect I.M. Pei. He was born in Suzhou and this museum is his last building. Pei tried to incorporate the architecture of Suzhou gardens and interpret it in a contemporary way. He succeeded in doing so.

The museum showcases artifacts from excavations in Suzhou, a collection of vases and calligraphy from the Ming Dynasty, as well as a small section for modern art. It is a really beautiful museum. Admission is free, like in all museums.

After our visit to the museum, we needed some rest and went back to the hotel. After a short break, we took a walk around Jinji Lake, which is right in front of the hotel. It was a beautiful and cool breeze in the afternoon. There were so many couples taking wedding photos by the lake, we had to be careful not to disrupt their pictures.