CHINA – Cover from Souzhou, Jiangsu Province, China to Braga, Portugal

Cover with three definitive stamps from the issue Birds of 2002, posted on July, 5 2010.
(Special thanks to my friend Victor Coelho)


Suzhou (simplified Chinese: 苏州; traditional Chinese: 蘇州; pinyin: Sūzhōu; Suzhou dialect: [səu tsøʏ]; ancient name: 吳). Suzhou is a city on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and on the shores of Lake Taihu in the province of Jiangsu, China. The city is renowned for its beautiful stone bridges, pagodas, and meticulously designed gardens which have contributed to its status as a great tourist attraction. Since the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Suzhou has also been an important centre for China's silk industry and continues to hold that prominent position today. The city is part of the Yangtze River Delta region.
The name of the city have been previously transliterated in English in various ways, including Su-chou (Wade-Giles system), Suchow, and Soochow. It is occasionally nicknamed the "Venice of the East" or "Venice of China"

(Source: Wikipedia – Souzhou, Jiangsu Province- China)