Confucius Temple 1.JPG

Recent Photos

Great web links


Suzhou - Old Photos
Suzhou Weather
China View - Official News
Booking Travel in China
Suzhou Ex-Pat Website
The Real Suzhou

What's New in Marque My Words

Lake Karakul, Xinjiang, ChinaHi everyone! Welcome to the New World!

The last episode of Suzhou's Prodigal Sun finally hits these pages. entitled "Race - the Final Frontier" it covers our latest epic journey into the far west of China: Xinjiang. A separate series of photos are available under the Silk Road, China.

If you haven't seen it yet, there is a new gallery of my favourite shots of China to celebrate both our six years there and our departure. I'm sure you'll enjoy this photo of me, so have a look at the rest!

My previous journal, "The Departure of the Prodigal Sun - Round the World in Eighty Days" can be found below or by clicking this link.

Being here in Redding, California reminds me of that famous song by Otis Redding, it's just a shame there's no dock where I can dangle my feet and watch the tide roll in!

May I wish everyone the best of luck on their travels.

Bon voyage!

Suzhou's Prodigal Sun 24

Print

Thursday, 15 July 2010 06:07 Last Updated on Friday, 16 July 2010 04:11 Written by Mark Whitworth

Dunhuang, Desert, Mark WhitworthDiary 24 – The New Moon and the Prodigal Sun

Race – The Final Frontier!

This, the final instalment of my China journals, which may be described as a Suzhou ex-pat blog by some, but as I’m a little more old fashioned, I’ll stick to journal! It deals specifically with our recent trip to Xinjiang, Gansu and Shaanxi. I’ll be leaving out the overly emotional stuff about leaving and stick to the tried and tested formula of my usual travel write up, throwing in both oddly humorous and deeply serious discussion items, in an attempt to distract from the more mundane aspects of the piece. It might look like there’s a lot of stuff written below, but I’d like to reassure each every one of you that there are a lot of pictures to look at!

Anyone who wants details of contacts for bookings and suchlike can find them on the last page.

Read more...

Suzhou's Prodigal Sun 23

Print

Monday, 14 June 2010 10:53 Last Updated on Wednesday, 16 June 2010 05:36 Written by Mark Whitworth

Diary 23 – The Departure of the Prodigal Sun - Round the World in Eighty Days!

 

Beijing Zoo, Exotic Animals, China DailyThis week’s journal spans time and space to bring you delicious offerings regarding Chinese eating habits, computer problems, Suzhou and Chinese culture, British Petroleum and the oil leaks, the  Foxconn suicides, the drinking habits of Australians and their birds, leaving China, our plans for the summer, Chinese food price speculation, school management, the England v. USA World Cup game, the use of bad language in my novel, Chinese archaeology, TV watching habits and much more. All in all I had a fun time writing it and with any luck you should have a fun time reading it! Please enjoy!

Read more...

Suzhou's Prodigal Sun 22

Print

Sunday, 16 May 2010 18:27 Last Updated on Monday, 24 May 2010 22:57 Written by Mark Whitworth

Attacks on children, China, Mark Whitworth, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, Marque My WordsThe Return of Suzhou’s Prodigal Sun

Part 22 – To Punish and to Enslave!

After paying a visit to the Suzhou Singapore International School last Tuesday I initially returned in high spirits only to be laid low with a severe cold over the next few days. I thought I was being sensible when I pointed out to Ana, the secondary school librarian that she couldn’t possibly be contagious or infectious, as her own illness had lingered for over a week. Oh no! How wrong I was. This bug is horrible! I’m hoping this will be the worst day of it and that things can only get better from the slough of despond in which I now sit writing. It did give me the opportunity to put together a diary; I’m far to unfit to continue with my novel!

Oh, Ana...I hope you’re better now!

Read more...

Suzhou's Prodigal Sun 21

Print

Tuesday, 04 May 2010 00:16 Last Updated on Thursday, 27 May 2010 01:49 Written by Mark Whitworth

Tsingtao, Tsingdao, Brewery, Shandong, Mark Whitworth, Suzhou, ChinaThe Return of Suzhou’s Prodigal Sun

Part 21 - All Along the Watchtower

Returning to Suzhou last Saturday restored our faith in the local climate. Spring, whose arrival I triumphally announced in my last journal, has fled these parts and summer installed itself instead. Temperatures were up to 30°C and brilliant sunshine awaited us. Having left the north-east, where many trees were not yet in bud and the evenings required two fleeces, it was something of a shock to the system.

Read more...

More Articles...