Travels in China - Shanghai Water Village

Having explored some of the major sights of Shanghai such as the Museum, the Yuyuan Gardens and the Bund, HWMBO and his group also managed to tour a nearby water village.  These waterways are often referred to collectively as "Venices of the East."  As can be seen, a water village tour is not a unique idea and the lines can be long.

The canals and bridges of the water villages are indeed reminiscent of Venice,

even when there is a little "something extra" added.

Here are the sightseeing boats - looking fairly serene here, as they queue up for sightseers,

and the polers guiding them along the waterways look very much like their Italian gondolier counterparts

until one is reminded that one is, after all, in the Orient.

The boats glide serenely along tree-framed banks

and under bridges

while those along the banks ply their trades

and go about their daily business

as they have for centuries.