Zhouzhuang, Venice of the East

Why travel half the world when the world is on your doorstep.
In his blog "Excerpts from the highly accessorized world of designer Rafe Totengco" this well known American designer of bags, shoes and accessories, Rafe Totengco visits Zhouzhuang, one of the most beautiful places of China which gives a glimps of how China might have looked like 500 years ago.

"Can I tell you...about the water village of Zhouzhuang. Dating back 900 years old, this Venice of the East is surprisingly still in tact, albeit a tourist trap nowadays. It's about an hour away or 25 miles outside central Shanghai. People still live in the village and make their living either as gondoliers or shop keepers selling typical tourist paraphernalia. This is China's first water town and some of the homes date back to Ming and Qing dynasties......."