Suzhou was a great stop for a couple of days to relax and enjoy a slower pace of life. I rented a bike while I was there and biked around the city, stopping at the different gardens. It was so nice because I was usually alone in some of the smaller gardens I visited. They were nice peaceful places to sit and write in a journal or do some sketching. I also visited a couple of small temples. It is only a few hour train ride from Shanghai and is a nice contrast from the large city atmosphere.

Sights to visit: Master of the Nets Garden (a replica of it is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City), North Temple.