For me, living in Canada for 25 years, China is a new world that I have longed to explore. This spring, I c{#blank#}1{#/blank#} Yangzhou to be my first stop on a 16-month trip around China. It was like love at first sight. At 15, I bought a book of collection of p{#blank#}2{#/blank#}about Tang Dynasty. Through it, I heard of Yangzhou for the first time. I was deeply attracted by a poem written by Li Bai – “Sailing to Yangzhou in M{#blank#}3{#/blank#} .

    Yangzhou has always been famous for its gardens. A{#blank#}4{#/blank#}them, the Slender West Lake, one of the b{#blank#}5{#/blank#}attractions in the city, was my first stop. The park with its fantastic landscape and lots of history has enough to keep a t{#blank#}6{#/blank#}busy for the whole day. What a shame I simply could a{#blank#}7{#/blank#}half a day!

    My next stop was He Garden, one of the best protected gardens in Yangzhou. It was once owned by the family of He Zhidao in Qing Dynasty. He Zhidao successfully brought Chinese and W{#blank#}8{#/blank#}architectural(建筑的) features together.

    Yangzhou is also the starting point of the Grand Canal tour. Taking a boat along the part of the canal in Yangzhou, I was amazed at the liveliness of this ancient waterway and the c{#blank#}9{#/blank#}history and culture.

    Luckily, my two-day trip to Yangzhou was filled with p{#blank#}10{#/blank#}and wonder. It made me hungry for more China.