Suzhou, China

I’ve been to China a few times—mostly Beijing—but every trip has been great. One of my all-time highlights is, of course, the Great Wall near Beijing. It’s such a jaw-dropping marvel that each visit felt like meeting a new celebrity, only taller and with more bricks. I’ve gone three times! The first was a sunny day tour, but it was so packed with tourists, I had to hike miles just to be alone with this legendary structure. The second time, the cold and mist gave the Wall a spooky, “Game of Thrones” vibe. And my last trip? Hot, sunny, and deserted. It was just me, the Wall, and the knowledge that this thing is so big, you can see it from space. I felt like a tiny ant on the world’s most famous fence.

This time, I ventured to Suzhou for the 49th WSAVA World Congress. Suzhou, often dubbed “The Venice of the East,” is like if you mixed a Chinese watercolor painting with Silicon Valley—pretty gardens and tech hubs everywhere. And let’s not forget the canals! I’ve done Venice of the South (the real Venice), the North (Amsterdam), and now, I’m wondering if Venice of the West is… San Antonio? If so, check!

At the hotel, I wrestled with the Wi-Fi (as you do). After multiple tries, I went to reception where a nice guy tried to help. He typed my name, Jolle, but he spelled it out J…O…R…R…E. Gotta love the good ol’ “L” turned “R” trick that happens in Asia! We laughed, and voilà, internet!

Suzhou isn’t just about canals; it’s also home to The Monkey King in Chinese opera. That character’s been doing flips since the Ming Dynasty. The opera’s based on a story where a monk, a monkey, and a pig face monsters (sounds like a very weird road trip, right?). Anyway, after much battling, they find eternal wisdom—like a monk’s version of “The Hangover,” but with enlightenment instead of regrets.

Now, on to Suzhou’s tech scene, which sits next to its ancient past like a flashy cousin who drives a Tesla. When I first went to Beijing, the smog was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Now, thanks to electric cars, the air’s clear enough to breathe, which is always a plus! Suzhou, with its Singaporean-planned tech park, is the perfect mix of old and new. But don’t be fooled by its polished exterior—this “small” town has 10 million people. It’s like if a quaint village ate New York City for breakfast.

And speaking of eating… let’s talk hairy crabs. Yes, they sound like something you’d avoid, but in Suzhou, they’re a culinary treasure. People flock to Yangcheng Lake during crab season like it’s a seafood version of Coachella. The crabs’ claws look like they’re wearing tiny mittens, and their meat is buttery heaven. Just don’t think too hard about the “hairy” part.

To wrap up this story, Suzhou’s signature tree is the willow. I happen to have a willow at home named Paul (because I follow the “stick a twig in the water, and it grows” philosophy). My willow, much like me, faces demon challenges—mainly deer trying to eat it—but it’s hanging in there, wise and resilient. Just like life, right