Luzhi, China

Luzhi is a lovely little canal town two hours away from Shanghai, near its famous neighbor, Suzhou. I chose to visit this “little Venice” as I had heard Suzhou is a large city.

Luzhi has one of the best ambiences of any Chinese town. Old wooden and brick Chinese buildings line narrow canals, with stone bridges arching over them. Trees line the canals, adding to the charm of the town. In the shops near the canals, locals sell a wide range of crafts, including musical instruments, fans, paintings, calligraphy and dresses. Overall, Luzhi is simply a great place to take it easy and wander around for the sake of soaking up its relaxing atmosphere.

Venice, Italy

I decided to spend a few hours wandering around Venice while en route to Austria. Having visited many years ago, I wanted to see both the main and off-the-beaten paths of this canal city.

Venice certainly has its magic, with its ubiquitous gondolas, canals, bridges and churches. I particularly enjoyed wandering along the alleys and the smaller canals. However, I am getting tired of visiting touristy areas, as it is quite annoying to have to “fight” with people for a view. It is difficult to truly enjoy a view when there are tons of people yapping and shouting. I believe that a place loses its character and charm when too many tourists swarm the area.