Wuzhen

Sunday morning we were picked up in a mini van at 7pm and the van continued to pick up other passengers for an hour . We were then taken to a parked tour bus and unloaded for about a 1.5hr drive to Wuzhen. On arrival as usual on a weekend in China the car park, actually BUS park had at least 30/40 bus loads of tourist waiting to enter the historical town. Not before being taken to a Tea road house where you were ushered into a room and were given a sample of hot tea with the idea to purchase, this took 40minutes and not alot of purchasing from what we could see. Every corner shop in china sells tea so it wasn't a special brand.

Chinese people say that unless you visit the Great Wall then you haven't been to China. For any visit south of the Yangtze River; one place not to be missed is the town of Wuzhen.
Located in the centre of the six ancient towns south of Yangtze river, Wuzhen displays its two-thousand-year history in its ancient stone bridges floating on mild water, its stone pathways between the mottled walls and its delicate wood carvings. Also, setting it apart from other towns, it gives a unique experience through its profound cultural background.

It is said that people have lived in Wuzhen for 7000 years and over time it has produced a galaxy of talents. Mao Dun, an outstanding modern Chinese writer, was born here and his masterpiece, 'The Lin's Shop', describes vividly the life of Wuzhen. In 1991, Wuzhen was authorized as the Provincial Ancient Town of History and Culture, so ranking first among the six ancient towns south of the Yangtze River.

Wuzhen's uniqueness lies in its layout, being 2 kilometers long and divided into six districts. These are: Traditional Workshops District, Traditional Local-Styled Dwelling Houses District, Traditional Culture District, Traditional Food and Beverage District, Traditional Shops and Stores District, and Water Township Customs and Life District. Wandering along the east-west-east circuit created by these six districts, you will enjoy the atmosphere of the traditional cultures and the original ancient features of the town that have been preserved intact.
The journey home was slower due to weekend traffic , we stopped off at a silk shop which was within walking distance from the universityand arrived back about 4pm.
The whole day cost us Y125 = $20 each approx. You get alot for your money in China.