Miss World visits the Wetlands and goes shopping!

No signs of slowing down for our contestants. They were whisked away to the wetlands near Changshu where it was all aboard stunning wooden boats and out into the wending waterways for a cultural cruise.

The contestants arrive at the Changshu wetlands

Feeling very intrepid, the ladies were motored through waving fronds of water plants and at one stage a fish leapt out of the water and on to the deck of one of the boats. The guide informed them that in China it is considered a lucky omen!

Heading out into the waterways

The boats docked at a traditional Chinese village where the cobbled streets were a hive of activity. A wedding was taking place in the courtyard of an old building and (in another display of Chinese warmth and hospitality) one of the ladies was invited in!

The representatives for France and Honduras experiencing local cuisine

In other buildings, traditional dishes and sweets were being served up and the contestants were able to enjoy hot pancakes, red- and green-bean teas, sesame and date biscuits, and the slightly less traditional but very welcome orange ice lollies!

A spot of accessories shopping for the contestants

Souvenir hats and fans were also very popular and many of the representatives took the chance to purchase the colourful pieces before heading for the karts that whisked them back to the buses for the next stop.

The representatives for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland hitch a ride on the karts

Anticipation was in the air as the Miss World convoy pulled up outside Changshu Clothing City. The huge shopping centre produces 20 per cent of all the clothing manufactured in China, has been rated as the number one professional garment centre in the country for the past three years, and is aiming to be a global shopping destination.

The entrance to the Changshu Clothing City

The lucky contestants were ushered into a plush theatre where the centre’s director told them, ‘Nothing is more delightful than meeting friends from abroad. Your arrival is like waves of cold breeze in this hot sun’. He recalled 2005, when Miss World last visited to ‘promote peace, beauty and love’ and expressed a hope that they would be able to support Miss World Beauty with a Purpose initiatives in the future.

The ladies from Norway and Germany are welcomed and presented with gift boxes containing silk scarves

As a token, each girl was given a beautiful blue and white silk scarf, printed with an ornate pattern and told, ‘Marilyn Monroe said a scarf is a gift from heaven so we hope you will wear it and have happy memories of Changshu’.

The contestant representing Thailand arrives at Changshu Clothing City Mall for some shopping time

An entire floor of the vast shopping centre was then closed off especially for the contestants to browse. If there was an award for Top Shopper at Miss World 2012, it’s unclear who would have won. The girls were thrilled to see so many shops full of clothing. It felt like mere moments before the allotted hour was up and they were whisked away, bags bulging.