High Tea Thursday

I had to call C to find out which gate of my apartment complex she and C2 were picking me up at. She had texted me the day before and told me gate 2. Well, there are three gates and I had absolutely no clue which one is which! So, she tells me...SHE has numbered the gates herself and gate 2 is the one nearest my apartment. Alrighty then...I'll be ready for pickup at 12:30. They were there promptly with C2's driver and off we go to pick up P. Oh...we are picking up P? Great...the more the merrier, and I know and like P. Mark and I seem to run into her and her family a lot when we are out and about on the week-ends. It's no surprise really, our apartments are pretty much in the same neighborhood and the Westerners seem to frequent a lot of the same establishments.
So, off we go to have tea at a place in Moon Harbor:


Enjoy English Afternoon Tea at Rose House Located at Moon Harbor: Rose House, a branded tea house originated in Taiwan, has opened a store in Suzhou at Moon Harbor. With the trademark rose-themed interior decoration, the store displays poetry on rose, pictures about roses, as well as the introduction about English tea party, afternoon tea, and tea sets.
It is a beautiful place with flower covered, wing back comfy chairs and looks very much like an English tea room. I couldn't take pictures because the ladies I was with informed me that they really "frown" upon it for fear of replication??? Really??? The land of replication and copy and I can't take a photo of my friends and I enjoying afternoon tea in China?? Okay...I will follow the rules (this time). It was a very enjoyable, leisurely afternoon tea. I had never met C2 and she is an absolute HOOT! We had a great time just chatting about husbands, (how we all met them), traveling (some of these ladies have been all over the world), and getting to know one another better. It's nice to know we all have a bit of dysfunction in our families! :)
We then decided to go do a bit of shopping in old Suzhou. They knew of little shops along the oldest road in Suzhou called the Pingjiang District I took a few photos:

This is a well that was used in the community a very long time ago to obtain water.

These are VERY OLD homes located off the main street down this street

A picture of the canal that runs along the street

Anyone for a boat ride in the canal?

A lovely window display of the many silk and embroidery items made and sold in Suzhou

We only spent an hour down there, but have already planned a return trip on March 10th! Not enough time today to see and do all that we wanted to do! Where does the day go?? I am looking forward to our return trip with this incredible threesome of ladies!