Tiger Hill

Happy Dragonboat festival day! Well, at least that is the reason Andy had today off from work. There are some of the best holidays here! Anyway, we did a bit of sightseeing today and went to see the #1 scenic sightseeing spot in all of Suzhou. The Chinese have a love of making lists (the 5 most beautiful gardens in China, the 3 most scenic spots, ....) and Tiger Hill is the most scenic spot in Suzhou. It is a really beautiful place with old gardens and buildings. One of our favorite things about it though was that it was kind of maze-like. There would be paths leading up hillsides and into gardens and you couldn't see where they would end up. In fact, the kids made kind of a game of it. We had a great time trying get to places we could see off in the distance from the top of the pavilions, and we ended up in some dead-ends along the way. I think that this is one of those games that will stick and every time we come back we will try to find new ways to get places. Even gardens can be fun for kids! :-)

The Olympic rings made out of flowers and plants. Things pertaining to the Olympics can be found EVERYWHERE!

These "keyhole" entrances (as the kids called them) were our secret pathways to help us find our way through the maze. They often led to another garden or pavilion. The kids loved looking out for these!

There are usually not signs saying "keep off the grass" instead they are much more creative. Andy and I really enjoy these signs! Here are 2 favorites we found today. In case you can't see the fine print, this one says "To appreciate scenery, you must learn to treasure the environment."

This one says, "Your health rests with your civilized behavior"

Tori kept finding railings and benches "that are just my size. They are just big enough for me." (Needless to say, they were rather short for the rest of us, but it delighted Tori!)

Andy and the kids are standing on an island. To get to it, you cross a narrow stone bridge. Can I just state for the record that this made me nervous?