I was originally hoping to be in St Petersburg for my birthday. But considering it took two weeks to get a Russian visa and around a month to travel through Mongolia and Siberia to get there, the timing didn’t quite work. So with my passport in the hands of the Russian embassy in Beijing we took a side trip to Suzhou, Haungshan and Shanghai for the week.
Huangshan or Yellow Mountain is perhaps one of the most iconic mountain ranges in China. Think of any traditional Chinese painting you have seen…stony craggy peaks puncturing through wispy clouds and that’s Huangshan. I was in the Himalayas for my 30th so I thought Huangshan for my 35th was perfect.
We decided to go up and down the mountain in one day. Completely feasible…but also very painful for my legs the following day, and the next day, and the one after…
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iLook China 
The big pagoda near Suzhou train is marvelous. Dont forget to check out the teahouse in the back with a small pond and tasty menu of different dishes alongside hot tea. Wonderful way to relax after a long journey on a train.
There’s a tea house on the lake too and from there you can see the big pagoda across the lake. This tea house was once someone’s mansion but was converted into a tourist attraction. I have photos of it somewhere–maybe on my Website.