Rediscovering Jiangnan 重游江南

This was our second visit to Jiangnan, 24 years after our first journey in 2002. We retraced the same route, beginning in Shanghai and travelling through Suzhou, Wuxi, Nanjing and Hangzhou before returning to Shanghai. We could not remember much of our earlier trip. However, this return journey was particularly special as we had our children travelling with us. Sharing the experience with them made our rediscovery of Jiangnan all the more meaningful and memorable.

Day 0 (30/10/2026) Friday

Flight at 0115 at Changi Airport Terminal 3

 

Day 1 (31/10/2026) Saturday

Arrived at Shanghai Pudong International Airport 上海浦东国际机场

Terminal 2 at 0630

Shanghai Maglev Train 上海磁浮列车 into the city

Check into the hotel 

Lunch at No 3 Warehouse 3号仓库

Yuyuan Bazaar 豫园商城

Yu Garden 豫園

Chenghuang Miao 城隍庙

Shanghai Old Streets 上海老街

The Bund 外灘

Dinner at Wei Xiang Zhai 味香斋

Nanjing Road 南京路

Yuyuan Bazaar 豫园商城 at night

Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel 上海豫园万丽酒店

Day 2 (1/11/2026) Sunday  

Shanghai Railway Station 上海站 → Suzhou Railway Station 苏州站 (0841-0909)

SUZHOU 苏州

Humble Administrator's Garden 拙政園 

Lunch at Li Bai Zie 李百蟹

Suzhou Museum 蘇州博物館

Pingjiang Road 平江路

Dinner at Shuai Kitchen 帅帅精致家常菜

Mercure Hotel City Center Suzhou 苏州古城美居酒店

       

Day 3 (2/11/2026) Monday

Breakfast at the hotel 

ZHOUZHUANG 周庄古镇 

Zhouzhuang Museum 周庄博物馆

Twin Bridges 双桥

Zhang Hall 张厅

Lunch at Shenting Restaurant 沈厅酒家

Shen Hall 沈厅

Tea at Xin Zhen Yuan 鑫震源

Boat ride 周庄游船

Chengxu Taoist Temple 澄虚道院

Back to SUZHOU 苏州

Lingering Garden 留園

Shantang Street 山塘街

Dinner at Gu Su Chuan Yan 姑苏船宴

Mercure Hotel City Center Suzhou 姑苏区干将东路

Day 4 (3/11/2026) Tuesday

Tiger Hill 虎丘園林

To WUXI 无锡

Suzhou Station 苏州站 → Wuxi Station 无锡站

Lunch at Ruyi Huntun 如意馄饨

Li Garden 蠡园

Huishan Ancient Town 惠山古镇

Nanchang Street 南长街

Dinner at Gantangli Restaurant 甘棠里·无锡老八样

Qingming Bridge Water Alley 清明桥

Hotel Indigo Qingming Bridge Wuxi 无锡清名桥英迪格酒店

Day 5 (4/11/2026) Wednesday

Wuxi Railway Station无锡站  →  Nanjing Railway Station 南京站

NANJING 南京

Lunch at Li Bai Zie 李百蟹

Nanjing Museum 南京博物院

Imperial Examination Hall 江南贡院

Confucius Temple 南京夫子庙

Laomendong 老门东 

Tea at Lu Xi He 泸溪河

Dinner at Da Pai Dang  南京大牌档

Atour Hotel Confucius Temple 南京夫子庙秦淮游船码头亚朵酒店

Day 6 (5/11/2026) Thursday

San Yat Sen Mausoleum 中山陵

Ming Xiaoling 明孝陵

The Sacred Way  神道

Lunch at Jinling Family Banquet 金陵家宴 

Nanjing South 南京南站 → Hangzhou East 杭州东站

HANGZHOU 杭州

Enduring Memories of Hangzhou 7.40-8.45 pm

Dinner at 28 Hubin Road at the hotel

Hotel Grand Hyatt Hubin Road Hangzhou 杭州君悦酒店   

Day 7 (6/11/2026) Friday 

Xi Hu 西湖

Boat ride at Hubin No. 2 Park Pier 湖滨二公园码头

Three Pools Mirroring the Moon Island 三潭印月

Yue Fei Temple Pier 岳庙码头

Yue Fei Tomb 岳飞庙

Su Causeway 苏堤

Green Tea Restaurant 绿茶餐厅

Qinghefang Ancient Street 河坊街

Back to SHANGHAI 上海

Dinner Xiao Yang Shengjian 小杨生煎 at the station

Hangzhou East 杭州东 → Shanghai Railway Station 上海站 

Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel 上海豫园万丽酒店

Day 8 (7/11/2026) Saturday

RT Mart 大润发

Ferry across Huangpu from Jinling East Road Ferry Terminal 金陵东路渡口

Lunch at Xieshanghuang 蟹上黄

Century Link Mall 世纪汇广场

Shanghai Tower 上海中心大厦

IFC Mall 国金中心商场

Dinner at Da Dong 大董

The Bund at night 外滩

Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel 上海豫园万丽酒店

Day 9 (8/11/2026) Sunday

Yu Garden 豫園

Shengjian bao at Da Hu Chun 大壶春

Henderson Metropolitan 恒基名人購物中心

Lunch at Shanghai Pudong International Airport 上海浦东国际机场

Flight to Singapore at 1625

Arrived in Singapore at 2215

                                                                                                                                                                  

Jiangnan, China

We will fly to Shanghai tonight. I will continue my blog upon our return.

Our Best Experiences Together 5 : Climbing the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Climbing the tower was an experience in itself. As we made our way up the narrow spiral staircase, we could actually feel the unevenness of the steps beneath our feet. The effect of the tower's famous lean seemed to shift from one side to the other as we circled our way upwards. https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2022/12/leaning-tower-of-pisa.html

Our timed entry to the Leaning Tower was at 4 pm

The Best Places to Visit 5 : Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles)

The Square of Miracles consists of four great medieval buildings: the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa Cathedral, Pisa Baptistery, and the Camposanto Monumentale (cemetery). The entire complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

June 2004

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2010/07/piazza-del-duomo.html

October 2022

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2022/12/the-square-of-miracles.html

We first visited the square during our first trip to Italy in June 2004. We returned with our children 18 years later, as we wanted them to see and experience for themselves what we believe is one of the most beautiful places in Italy.

Where to eat in London : Fish and Chips at Toff's

Fish and chips is one of England’s most iconic traditional foods. They became popular during the 19th century, particularly among the working class. Traditionally, cod or haddock is coated in batter and deep-fried, then served with thick-cut chips, salt and vinegar. It is the taste of my student days in England: affordable, simple and satisfying, with memories attached to every bite. By “chips,” I mean finger-sized chips, not French fries. If you’ve tried fish and chips in the UK, you’ll know what I mean. 

I think Toff's of Muswell Hill is the best chippy in London. However, you do have to make an effort to get here. It is quite a distance from central London. You need to take the tube followed by a bus and the journey can take about an hour. But if you love a good traditional fish and chips, I think it is well worth the trip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8IuYoaOm6g

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2017/01/toffs-of-muswell-hill.html

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2022/11/toffs-of-muswell-hill.html 

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2024/03/toffs-in-muswell-hill.html

Our Best Experiences Together 4 : Inside the Pyramids

We were able to visit more pyramids on our second trip to Egypt. We have now been inside the pyramids of Khafre, Djoser, the Red Pyramid, the Bent Pyramid, Meidum and Teti. Our most memorable experiences were at the Bent Pyramid and the  Meidum Pyramid. At both, we managed to complete the full interior route, making our way through narrow and steep passages to reach the chambers deep within. It gave us the rare opportunity to experience the pyramids from the inside, rather than simply admiring these remarkable monuments from the outside.

Pyramid of Teti

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/04/pyramid-of-teti.html

The Bent Pyramid

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/03/bent-pyramid-2.html 

The Red Pyramid

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/search?q=red+pyramid

Pyramid of Meidum

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/04/pyramid-of-meidum-2.html

Step Pyramid of Djoser

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/04/step-pyramid-of-djoser.html

The Best Places to Visit 4 : Pyramids of Giza

The Pyramids of Giza are among the most extraordinary surviving monuments of ancient Egypt. They were constructed during Egypt's Old Kingdom around 2600–2500 BC, as royal funerary complexes. The three great pyramids were built for three generations of pharaohs: Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. 

The best view of the pyramids is from the Panoramic Viewpoint, where six pyramids can be seen lined up in a row across the desert.

Panoramic View Point

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/11/panorama-view-point-giza.html

Pyramid of Menkaure

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/11/pyramid-of-menkaure.html

Pyramid of Khafre

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/11/pyramid-of-khafre.html

Pyramid of Khufu

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/11/pyramid-of-khufu.html

The Great Sphinx of Giza

https://slsongtravel.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-great-sphinx-of-giza.html

Even though we have visited several other pyramids in Egypt, we still think the Pyramids of Giza are one of the best places to visit. The other pyramids, such as the Step Pyramid, Red Pyramid, Bent Pyramid and Meidum Pyramid, are farther away from Cairo and are more off the beaten path. They tend to stand rather isolated in the desert.

Giza, on the other hand, feels like an entire ancient complex. Surrounding the three great pyramids are several smaller pyramids, tombs and temples, together with the famous Great Sphinx of Giza. There is simply so much to see in one place.

However, if your main interest is to experience the inside of a pyramid, some of the lesser-visited pyramids are well worth making the extra journey for.