Roaming Paws （追寻足迹）: A Riverside Stroll Through the Old City

After a quick rest at the hotel, we decided to try taking a bus ride to the city. The bus stop was conveniently located just outside the hotel. We had to activate the Nantong City Bus feature on the AliPay application before we can use it to scan and pay for the bus ride. The bus ride cost 2 RMB one way and took about 20mins. We alight at the city’s TV station tower and decided to spend the day in the city area.

We took a calming walk along the city river, enjoying the charm of the old city. The river surrounds the old city and had once protected it like a natural moat. As we strolled, we saw a mix of old and new buildings, creating a unique blend of history and modernity. It was a peaceful and relaxing experience.

Our walk along the river lead then lead us to the Temple district, home to a Buddhist temple (Tianning Temple - 天宁寺） with a long history dating back to 863 A.D. Surrounded by clusters of traditional houses, the temple stands as a symbol of spiritual heritage and community. It's often said that towns and cities begin around such places of worship, growing outward from there.

We stopped for lunch at a quaint noodle and snack shop, offering traditional dishes. I order a bowl of prawn roe noodle while J got the pork noodle. We also ordered a couple of traditional snacks.

Next, we head to the City Clock Tower, it was a unique blend of Eastern and Western architecture. The tower combined a traditional Chinese building structure with a modern clock tower attached. As we admired the fusion of styles, the soothing melodies of an erhu player filled the air, adding to the ambiance of the scene. We couldn't help but wonder whether the musician was a busker or simply someone who enjoyed sharing their music with passersby.

Later, we strolled along a stretch of charming cafes and had tea break in one of the cafes. While the coffee and tea were enjoyable, prices were a bit steep, ranging from S$4 to $5 per cup.