Suzhou: Better Think Thrice.
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As a Suzhou local, I have to give your guide a big thumbs up!
For food, Guanqian Street is the place to be. If you're craving crab roe noodles, head to Li Bai Xie. For authentic Suzhou cuisine, Tanhua or Zhenzhu Restaurant are great choices. You'll also find Yaba Shengjian (pan-fried pork buns) and Lu Gao Jian (braised meat) there. Fengmen Hengjie is actually a wet market, but it has a wonderfully lively, local atmosphere. The sunset at Jinji Lake is beautiful – try watching it from Renzi Bridge.
I personally avoid Pingjiang Road and Shantang Street; they're just overrun with people these days. The Suzhou Museum is incredibly popular and tough to book right now. If you really can't get a reservation, the Imperial Kiln Gold Brick Museum is a decent alternative. This is just my personal opinion, for your reference.
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I feel like I've seen you in several comment sections.
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I went to Tongli Ancient Town. The Tuisi Garden there is gorgeous, and it wasn't crowded at all.
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It's so much more comfortable with fewer people! I went in the evening.
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Haha, I was at the Lingering Garden, and it was fine for me.
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You made a smart choice!!! I was originally planning to go to the Lingering Garden too; guides say the less crowded gardens are just as beautiful. But my younger brother insisted, 'How can you come to Suzhou and NOT visit the Humble Administrator's Garden?' Sigh, I really should have stuck to my guns.
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DON'T! BUY! ANYTHING! AT! TOURIST! SPOTS! It's the same all over China – definitely avoid buying things at scenic attractions.
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Heads up!!! Etch this in your mind!!!
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I knew the Humble Administrator's Garden was expensive and crowded, so I chose Yi Garden instead. It's smaller, the ticket is 15 yuan, and there are fewer people. They're all gardens anyway, and I don't really like wandering around huge places.
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Exactly! That's the spirit! My heart aches for my 80 yuan all over again.
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Are two days enough for Suzhou? I'm planning to spend two days in Nanjing first.
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Two days in Nanjing is good; the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall and Niushou Mountain are worth visiting. As for Suzhou, one day is enough. If it were me, I'd do a garden in the morning, a museum in the afternoon, and enjoy Pipa Pingtan (storytelling with Pipa music) in the evening.
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A pastry shop on Pingjiang Road was selling six small pieces of osmanthus cake for 40 yuan...
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That's totally outrageous, treating tourists like easy money! Maybe these are a rare treat for people from northern China, but for us southerners, they're just ordinary pastries.
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Any good food recommendations, sis?
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That one's pretty good; every guide seems to recommend it. I forgot the name, something like '... Yuan,' I think. Yaba Shengjian (pan-fried pork buns) is also worth trying. Other crab roe noodle places are decent too.
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We're planning to visit around the 23rd of this month. Will it still be very crowded?
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Haha, incredibly crowded.
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May I ask how you got around to the sights? I'm wondering if I should rent an electric scooter.
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Walking and the subway, haha! Traffic is really congested, so I find walking much more convenient.