After a filling lunch De Yue Lou we slowly headed back back to our room for our regularly scheduled afternoon nap. That's a photo of the North Temple (Beisi 北寺塔) Pagoda, reputed to be the oldest pagoda South of the Yangtze river.
Exhausted I immediately fell into a deep sleep back at the hotel. When I awoke it was already dusk, and the Missus was ready....... for some shopping! We walked along and browsed the various silk shops. While the Missus was looking at some silk, I noticed this in one of the glass cabinets.......
I thought "what a neat stuffed animal"! Until it moved!!!! And holy smoke it was a live cat just chillin' lying inside the glass case.....
Purchases in hand, it was time for dinner...... it had gotten a bit cooler over the last few hours, and a slow drizzle had started. We wanted something nice and warm in our bellies, so passing this hot pot shop made our dinner decision easy.
The place seemed to be doing some pretty good business.......
The Missus ticked off what She wanted.... we were in the mood for more vegetables, so that's the way we went.
We went with the "lamb bone soup".......
There actually was a pretty good sized leg bone, with a decent amount of meat attached to it in the broth, along with cucumber, carrots, napa cabbage, and bean curd strips. The hot pot had a nice lamb flavor, making frozen bean curd a perfect ingredient. The only meat we had was fatty sliced lamb.
This shop also had a sauce bar, with all the usual suspects; fermented bean curd, etc..... and a couple of spicy options. I believe the sign says that you can have two choices, but we noticed folks just going ahead and helping themselves..... "so when in Rome" and all that.
I loved the mixed wild mushrooms.......
I did a good job of gnawing all that meat off the bone, and we finished two refills of the bone soup....
It was just the right thing for the moment. We left with warm full bellies, the rain had passed, and we took the long way back to the room.
We were up early the next morning, and caught a 5am cab to the bus station.... the very green bus station.....
Suzhou's bus station wasn't quite as nice and clean as Hangzhou's, and the restroom were pretty horrific, even by China standards. You could smell the latrine from the other side of the bus station. I don't know how the toilet paper vendor (yes, you either brought your own, bought some, or.... well, let's not go there) could stand it.
Soon enough, we were on the bus headed for our next stop.... Nanjing.
"the restroom were pretty horrific, even by China standards"
That's saying a lot... a whole lot. *shudder*
Posted by: Jason | Monday, 14 March 2011 at 09:39 PM
the restrooms sound pretty nasty, dunno that I would have been able to use it at all...
Posted by: kat | Monday, 14 March 2011 at 10:59 PM
what is that concept...."highway robbery?" seems like the TP vendor has a strong market there. I love lamb bone soup, but cucumber seems out of place to my western flavor profiles. I'm also somewhat wary of mushrooms if I'm not sure of their origin, but those left out sound like the cure for a rainy day!!!!!
Posted by: Chris | Monday, 14 March 2011 at 11:26 PM
A whole lot Jason..... double shudder!
Hi Kat - Ah strong bladder control.... best weapon against public restrooms in China!
Hi Chris - I dunno; I wouldn't have traded places with her. We loved the wild mushrooms in China.... in fact there are a whole bunch coming up!
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 15 March 2011 at 06:58 AM
Oooh, the wild mushrooms look yum!
"Vendor cat does not haggle..." Did you guys buy the cat with the silk? ;-)
Note to self: carry TP when in China. o_O
Posted by: Rosa | Tuesday, 15 March 2011 at 09:11 AM
Hi Rosa - No we let the cat be, he looked perfectly happy and we didn't want to disturb. It's a good idea to bring TP whenever you travel to most countries outside the US.
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 15 March 2011 at 10:02 AM
How do they charge for their hot pot? I find it kinda ridiculous how Little Sheep charges $3.50pp (i think?) for their soup base. The lamb bone soup looks pretty substantial though!
On a cold rainy day here in SD, would you prefer Little SHeep or the Shabu House?
Nice post :)
Posted by: Faye | Tuesday, 15 March 2011 at 10:33 AM
Hi Faye - They do the same thing in China.... of course it's not aas expensive. As for LS vs SSH - which would you prefer, a broth or plain water with some kelp thrown in, then boiled (which you should never do with kombu)? I love good shabu shabu, but on my visits, they just don't do it right. (i.e. instant tsuyu, etc.) But perhaps it's time I check them out again.
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 15 March 2011 at 02:49 PM
cute kitty in the case! looks very healthy and happy! =)
Posted by: Lynnea | Tuesday, 15 March 2011 at 07:45 PM
Hi Lynnea - That is obviously the real owner of that shop!
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 15 March 2011 at 08:24 PM
hi kirk - "what a neat stuffed animal" :)
just curious, but what is that dish on the white plate (the pic before the sprouts)?
Posted by: caninecologne | Wednesday, 16 March 2011 at 09:48 PM
Hi CC - That's cellophane noodles! That "stuffed animal" made me jump when it moved!
Posted by: Kirk | Thursday, 17 March 2011 at 07:05 AM