Shanghai Side Trip: Zhou Zhuang

There's a few side trips you can make from Shanghai to canal cities. These cities are from the Song Dynasty and often called the Venice of the East. It's easiest to go there via bus (which includes a tour package) from Shanghai Stadium. You can ditch the tour if you like, just make sure to be back before they depart for Shanghai. I did the tour and it included lunch, some historical homes in the area, the canals, a Taoist Temple, and silk shops. You can also take a ride on the canal and pay the person rowing to sing. Maybe give them 10 yuan if you wanna be nice. Their singing is traditional and may leave a bit to be desired but it's for the experience. I appreciated my boat lady's singing.

Info on How To Take a Side Trip from Shanghai
History: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhouzhuang

Map of Zhou Zhuang

My Bus

My tour group sticker

Restaurant I ate at.

Pork Ankle or something -- it was surprisingly really tender and really good. That's right, I ate pig cankle and it was good!

Shrimp

This restaurant and the town is known for this kind of fish. Unfortunately I do not remember what it is called anymore, but it was really good.

This is soup made from the fish above. It was quite good.

The Zhou Zhuang Canals

One of many Silk Shops you will see

Many artists come to Zhou Zhuang for inspiration

My boat ride

Zhang's House

If you hop around on the bats in a clockwise fashion you are supposed to increase your wealth.

Chengxu Taoist Temple