Yu Garden

If you’re in Shanghai, the Yu Garden is a must-see.

(How do you like my practicing for travel-writing?) Honestly, though, it was not only beautiful and tranquil, with moon-doorframes and giant fish-ponds, but it was the kind of China that you come to China to see. The garden was a winding maze of different stone paths leading to open hutongs and corners just perfect for contemplation.

The main path of the garden was considerably crowded for 9 am. Kelly and I were sitting on some stones, watching the unbelievably-large goldfish, when we were approached by a 13 yr-old girl. She said, “You are beautiful. I want to take picture with you.”

I’m not used to being such an American-oddity in Beijing, but I was happy to give the girl a picture. She climbed onto the rocks and sat in the middle of us. The woman with the camera chanted, “yi, ar, san” and clicked. Almost instantaneously the girl got up and the two middle-aged men who were with them sat down on either side of us for another “yi, ar, san.”

As they got up to leave one of the men turned and said, “Sank…you.” Everyone in his family laughed heartily.

After Yu or “fish” garden, we walked to the flower and bird market, which is just as it sounds, plus more animals. There was loud chirping from every corner, both from the birds and, surprisingly, crickets. I saw the largest crickets of my life all in tiny cages, boxes, or woven balls.

Why is it when someone says, “Don’t look!”, we immediately look? I recommend NOT looking, or you could end up face to face with a giant tray of silk worms, and another of their cocoons…still moving. Then, heaven forbid, you could remember the drunken night you thought it was a good idea to EAT a silkworm cocoon from a street vendor.