Hangzhou

Hangzou is a spectacular city

 

Yesterday we arrived in Hangzhou in the pouring rain, which put a crimp in our plans to ride on a boat on West Lake, a huge lake in the middle of the city surrounded by a park.  One side of the lake looks up at green mountains, the other at the modern, spectacular cityscape.  It is a beautiful city, very much in the forefront of industrial businesses..international corporations.  Population is 7 million...hard to believe until you get a view of the cityscape from a high point, which we did. by way of a rebuilt pagoda.  To accomodate people who don't/can't walk up the stairs, there's an escalator up 2 flights, then elevators up to the second level to the top.  Looking in one direction is a seemingly pristine set of green mountains (same as view from the lake) and in the other direction is this phenomenal view of the city which spreads out in high rise everything for about 180 degrees.

 

Later, we rode a commuter boat on the grand canal, though not many people actually commute on the boat any more.  Some people use it to get from one point to another, but many just ride it as we did...a tourist attraction.  To encourage people to use the water taxi, the fare is 3 yuan during rush hour and 5 yuan in non-rush hour.

 

A long hike through the park where azaleas and rhodies are in full bloom and everything is green..trees are leafed, willows are weeping green, and it is thoroughly spring...sort of like mid-May at home.  The temperature was about 78 degrees or more today...hot and sunny..and humid, too, after the rain stopped at about 10 am. 

 

We ate at a local dumpling and rice for breakfast place in the morning, at this ridiculously fancy restaurant for lunch (tour guides like to take foreigners to these off the chart places, it seems), and at a local place this evening. 

 

Suzie and Richard went off to a light and dance/music show in the park that is put on by the same man who did the opening ceremony of the Olympics last summer.  The rest of us were too tired, so we came back to the hotel, rested, and are ready to cash it in.

 

This was perhaps the nicest day we've had here...got to get the flavor of a major city without being in a marathon.  Wonderful.