Yu Garden in Shanghai

Today our cultural activity was located at Yu Garden. The group went through Yu Garden, which was a retirement gift from a son to his father. We were able to see the beautiful garden and architecture after much restoration. The garden was so big that I got lost with my friend for a good 10 minutes while exploring before finding our other friends. I felt that the garden was very pretty especially with all the plants, fish, and turtles. My favorite part is shown in the video with the plants and river because it was one of the calmest places in the garden. It was also very shaded by the trees which was nice when I wanted to get away from the sun. It was also very serene, whereas other areas were crowded with tourists. I really enjoyed taking pictures of the garden with friends, as well as looking at the shops and food stalls. Although, I wish I had more time to explore because I really wanted to get some tanghulu as well as shop for souvenirs for family members. I enjoyed seeing Yu Garden even though the heat was very unpleasant. Although, looking in shops with air conditioning really helped  . Overall, it was really nice. Here are some pictures and videos of the garden,me, and my friends. 

------Cadence Mark,Walter Payton College Prep, IL

On Monday we went to the Yu Garden. It was an exciting experience learning the history behind the garden as well as looking at the beautiful architecture of the entire place. I saw so many people taking pictures, and honestly, I couldn't blame them. Everything was really pretty: the buildings, the small ponds, the bridges, and everything else the place had to offer. Once I was done wandering throughout the garden, I stepped outside to visit the shops. Since time was a constraint, I was only able to visit a few stores. One simple yet interesting experience was when I saw how some stores were operating. In a particular area, a line of stores all had one cashier. Each merchant was selling their own products, such as whistles, bracelets, calligraphy, and so on. However, once you decided to buy something, instead of accepting the money themselves, the merchant would direct you to the cashier, which was centered in the middle of the line of shops. Personally, I thought this was a unique and fascinating way of commerce. In America, I never saw this method of selling items, so this small yet interesting way of life amazed me.

-----Aaron Huang,  Walter Payton College Prep, IL