The Panmen scenic area
2017 has not had a great start if we think about air pollution. The PM2.5 index has been over 150 (unhealthy) every day for now. Sigh, this is winter in China. But we had a long weekend for New Year and we couldn’t stay at home all the time! So on Sunday we went to visit the Panmen scenic area, which is in the south western corner of Suzhou’s old town.
This scenic area consists of the Ruiguang pagoda (the earliest pagoda built in Suzhou), several pavilions, a park with a lake and a gate of the old city wall. The entrance ticket is 40 RMB, which is not exactly cheap but I am already used to these prices… At least the place was clean and well taken care of. Ah, it seems if you stay in the Pan Pacific hotel, which is right next door, you can enter the scenic area for free.
The pagoda is very photogenic.
If you enter through the main door (in Dongda street), the pagoda will be the first thing you see. It seems usually you should be able to get inside (for an additional fee of 6 RMB I think it was) but it was under repairment on Sunday. I asked when it would be done and I got a “no idea” so, who knows? Months? Years?
Admiring the pagoda from the distance.
The park with the lake was pretty quiet, it looked like a perfect spot to sit and enjoy the sun when the weather is warmer. There was also a mini waterfalls with a stone crossing that was very busy.
And a stone monk.
There were a lot of red fish in the lake.
The wall gate was very similar to the one we visited in September, but I’m not sure if this one has been recently renovated or not.
Right next to the exit of the scenic zone there was a park where a lot of dogs were having a meeting. There were 6 or 7 golden retrievers, a couple of huge Alaskans, a samoyed, a couple of corgis and several more. At first we were observing them from up the wall and thinking about bringing Nico next time, but when two golden retrievers started fighting and one ended with a bleeding face we decided not to go. Nico is too old for that!
That’s gotta be one of the prettiest dog park backdrops I’ve ever seen.
Haha, well, yes, although from where the dogs were you couldn’t see the pagoda, only the city wall.
Sii me han contado que la contaminación anda horrible por allá, en varias zonas… Ojala mejore pronto :( no quiero. No andas con mascarilla cuando supera los 200?
Suelo llevar mascarilla cuando pasa de 150, y en casa también tenemos dos filtros de aire. Cuando hicimos las fotos creo que estaba por 120… odio llevar la mascarilla, se me empañan las gafas!
Siii eso es lo malo de usar mascarilla y lentes al mismo tiempo… qué filtro de aire tienes? yo planeo comprarme el Xiao Mi de como 700 yuanes
Pues tenemos un Xiaomi y un Daikin. Los baratos funcionan igual de bien que los caros yo creo, lo importante es cambiar/lavar el filtro (el xiaomi que tengo yo no se puede lavar el filtro, hay que tirarlo entero y cambiarlo).
ohhh! importante eso! tiene que tener filtro cambiable entonces…
OH NOOOO!!! The poor Golden Retriever :'( I think I would have cried if I had seen that :'(
Nooo, don’t worry, he was mostly fine. You know how male dogs (and men) are, they like fighting xD
Since yesterday, the AQI in Shanghai is much better, below 100. How is it in Suzhou? Maybe you guys should come to Shanghai for the weekend :-) (Although, it might pick up again…) Looking forward to Chinese New Year when the factories will be switched off.
Here too! But I think it’s just because of the rain. Let’s see how it is in Chinese New Year, I’m not sure the most polluting industries (steel for example) totally close. Oh and get ready for the non stop firecracker noises haha. Although I don’t know if firecrackers are allowed now in Shanghai or not!
That is one pretty garden.
How long do they shut the factories for CNY?
To be honest I don’t know if the bigger factories completely close. The official holidays are 7 days but then you have to work 2 weekend days so in reality you only have 3 extra days. China!! But many factory workers quit before the new year, go home for a month and then look for a new job.
Beautiful pictures. I especially like “Admiring the pagoda from the distance.” I’m not surprised that the stepping stones are so popular. Everyone loves stepping stones.
We’ve had beautiful sunny weather the past few days, but I hate the thought of going out in the cold.
Aaah, sun! We’re having some trouble seeing it here lately with all the winter pollution!
40RMB is pretty expensive for entry isn’t it. Glad you won’t take Nici to that dog park.
Yes, it is expensive. I always compare ticket prices with the tourist sites in Beijing. 40 RMB is what the entry to the Forbidden City costs… and this was not comparable to the Forbidden City!
I found the same travelling around China. Anywhere that us foreigners went to the price was raised. But even saying that there were places many foreigners hadn’t heard of and still the price of entry was expensive and I just didn’t know how the lovely locals could afford it.
Ugh, the air. One day reprieve and then right back into the funk. I like that Pagoda – looks a little nicer than the one on the north side of the city by the train station. I’ve only seen that park by boat on the river/moat tours that my job takes me on sometimes – looks nice. Hopefully it will be easier to check out when line 4 opens soon (SW Suzhou is not so easy to get to without a taxi – at least from my house).
You always have the latest news about the subway, haha. But you’re right, getting there is kind of mafan if you don’t go by car. I haven’t been to the pagoda close to the train station but I want to!
I travel all over this city and the way traffic is getting worse and worse, any excuse to ride the subway is taken. I’m starting to hate riding the bus. Too slow and taxis aren’t much better on the surface streets. I miss five years ago Suzhou…
I’d go crazy if I couldn’t get outside due to pollution! If I’m in all day I get cabin fever by 15.00!
Most of the time we still go out with our masks on! And without masks… I think it’s still slightly less deadly than smoking!
Ha ha! I hate smoking. Are oxygen bars a thing there?!
Mmmm I haven’t heard of oxygen bars. But it seems there are bottles with air from cleaner provinces for sale on the internet hahaha. Not sure if anyone buys them.
Ive heard about them! From Switzerland or somewhere like that! There’s a market for everything!
nice pictures! Thanks for sharing.
Super pretty photos!