Having walked my feet off the first day – down the trail, into 'modern town' and then to my digs for the night, I decided that maybe riding a bike around town would give my poor, aching legs a break.I should have rented a bike from the city's concession.

Those mounts are relatively new and well maintained. Most importantly: they have a quick-release seat and handlebar adjustment, a necessity for one who needs the seat raised to the highest position. I don't know what I was thinking in renting from the hostel's stable of sad, tired things. Of course, I didn't know they were sad, tired things when I rented one.

Please: avoid my mistake! Municipal bicycles are available throughout the city for about 5Yuan per day, with ID card and deposit. You can also visit http://www.bikesuzhou.com/index.html to rent a bike and have a guided tour.

I must have been a sight on my little bike, my knees hitting my chest with every pedal stroke! Nevertheless I merged in with the heavy two-wheeled traffic. Suzhou-ans seem especially happy to ferry themselves here and there on a variety of mounts, from squeaky bikes like mine to shiny, slim motor scooters. Those who only need a short sprint (and tourists) can ride a pedicab. Away from the major centers there are motorcabs – a motorcycle driven, 8 passenger transport.

The city is kind enough to provide generous bike lanes and traffic signals meant for those on 2 wheels. However, rush hour tends to bring out those reckless riders who insist on taking the right of way. For them there are law enforcers specifically meant to curb/control any renegade impulse a rider might have.

Riding around Suzhou is a great way to see the city. Roads and bike lanes are well paved. In Old Towns, beware of cobblestoned roads that jarred my spine and made my teeth chatter. The city is not particularly hilly and any slopes tend to be gently inclined. In deference to riders, all the humpbacked bridges I crossed had a ramp with a channel carved out to get bikes up and down.

There is so much to see and do in Suzhou! From her amusement park (buses 3 and 32) to centuries-old cultural relics, museums, temples, canal rides, city wall... and night life. That I could tell, Suzhou has an active night life. As I rode buses in the evening I couldn't help but notice how many people were on their way out for a night of fun, which kind of made me wonder: how would they get home? About half of Suzhou's buses stop running around 7PM.

These clean looking buses scour the city. They did not seem crowded at any time of the day. Because there is really so much to see and do, you could ride just about any bus and see something noteworthy. The tourist buses, 1 and 2 will hit most of the highlights. Numbers 3, 4 and 5 will also take you to points of interests. You can catch most of these buses from the train station. By sheer dumb luck, bus 146 happened to stop close to my hostel. Its terminal station was Tiger Hill.

Xianyin pavilion,part of the Canglangting Pavilion scenic spot. The whole garden is listed as a world cultural heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.[Photo/IC]

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