Suzhou is located about 1 hour west of Shanghai on the Nanjing-Shanghai Expressway. It was known as 'Soo Chow.' Famous for its silks and teas, Suzhou is probably most known for its canals and gardens. While modern development has taken away some of her beauty, there is still much to see in the numerous gardens preserved for tourists to visit.Beware the crowds of people, though. Suzhou is definitely not a small town as some would imagine, but a city of some 6 million! The very famous craft of Suzhou is the silk embroidery. The really good ones are double-sided, which means that it is best framed by glass on both sides. Initially looking like paintings, close observation reveals the needle work, which is fine indeed. Shops selling embroidery can be found throughout the city, and at many of the tourist sights.