Personally I am not a fan of pompous parties and grand dinners but sometimes you would go more by compulsion which exactly happened with me this yearin january. But this Annual Party of the company i will always cherish as it allowed me to experience the iconic image of the rural life of China in WUZHEN. The moment I landed foot in this fossil village of the in Zhejiang province which is almost a two hour drive from Shanghai I was catapulted to a different realm that is steeper in history and nearly extinct in today's modern world.

We stayed at the Water Side Resort , a street of traditional houses overlooking the canals and converted into a five star hotel. Even the check in was real fun as you are ferried in by battery operated vehicles from the main entrance to the reception. This resort is a perfect example of classic chinese architecture and modern decor combined . The beds are of lacquer finish, white porcelain bath, all together offering you a very comfortable stay.

After checking in we decided to stroll in this pictureseque , fossil village( as can be rightly called due to its thousands years of existence) whcih complemented the Ming Dynasty Era. We got to know that the layout of this town is around 2 kms only with six districts but nevertheless every thing here speaks its own story, be it the stone bridges , the wooden terraces, stone flagged alleyways , its museums or its fragnant gardens. This abode is a photographers paradise also offers you art galleries and traditional tea houses which keeps the original aroma and also can enjoy the demonstration of traditional workshops of printing and dyeing. We also saw the" Bridge within a Bridge" a scenic attraction created by two ancient bridges.

This place is as ancient as it is post modern ( which is evident by the fact that there is no surface cableling for power), it is romantic yet family oriented , tranquil yet vibrant . The evening is the magical time to wander around when the street lamps gives the dim light to make you feel that u are in a land of fantasy.

This place is also profound with traditional cultural elements like the flower-drum opera, shadow -puppet shows etc.and w historical and cultural sites like the Wenchang Pavilion, the Xiuzhen taoist temple etc is a depiction of its rich heritage and engrosses you in its embrace and makes you long for more . This memoir will remain embedded in my heart for ever.