Long time no see! ^_________^
The last time I came to Wuxi was long enough ago that only a blur is left. This trip felt like a reunion.
A boat on Lake Tai
We had not gone far when the gulls arrived. They flew level with the hull, wings almost brushing the railing, and the moment someone tossed out a bit of food the whole flock dropped in.
The wind was strong and combed the lake into fine scales. Hills sat in the distance, pale, as if someone had smudged them with a thumb.
Bridge, pagoda, a thin haze
Back on land I walked along the shore. A stone arch bridge crossed the water, its reflection finishing the circle underneath. A small pagoda stood on the hill, half lost in haze.
It was cold by the water this time of year, but the air was clean and you could see a long way.
Dusk
Looking back from the boat, the sun was sitting exactly on the far shore. Every gull turned into a silhouette, the water went copper, and the stern dragged a white wake behind us.
Watching a sunset from a boat is cheating a little: no need to hunt for an angle, no need to wait for a spot. It just unfolds in front of you.
Dinner after dark
After dark I went into the city to eat. Red lanterns hung overhead, the words “Love in Wuxi” glowed on the wall, warm to the point of excess.
After a whole day of wind off the water, sitting down to something hot was the moment I felt back on shore.
What I keep from Wuxi is wind and birds.
Life needs less overthinking. Do more. Feel more.
