I survived
my first National Holiday like the (July 4th) plus the mid Autumn
Moon festival. However the experience will not be forgotten soon. Once again my
experience surpass my expectation, the thrill and the scare, some of it, I
should have save it for the Halloween blog.
For
starter, I survived my first Chinese hot pot experience, it is an obsession
here, people gathering around a pot of hot cooking flavored soup and cook your
own food in the boiling soup. It is kind of fun if you had never cook in the
kitchen before and wanted to cook your own food rather than being served. You
know what I rather choose.
Secondly, I
climb the Lupu Bridge that span the Huangpu River that snake thru the heart of
Shanghai divided her into two half like many great cities in the world. 360
steps later, I was standing on the platform on top of the second longest arch
bridge in the world. For those who are not able to make this climb, I am sorry there
is no other way to get up there. But you have my photos instead. The only
regret was that they do not open at night. Otherwise it would be awesome.
Third, a
trip to Hangzhou, the famous ancient city about three hours from Shanghai with
it center piece the West Lake. For century the lake attracted artists and Poets
alike for her beauty and the charm of the surrounding hillside. I thought it
could be a nice treat to relax in the hillside surrounding the lake, and view
the beauty of the slivery moon light reflection on the lake. Unfortunately
Romanizing the tranquilly images did not last long.
The huge
crowd inside the train station actually forms hazy smog inside if it is going
to rain, the noise was unbearable, I got my ticket at lighten speed of 20
minutes consider the long line. 45 minutes later on the high-speed train, I am
approaching the City of Hangzhou.
My first
impression of the city was: Wow, I really arrived in a real Chinese city. Not
much high rises and not much cosmetic. Just street full of people.
Due to the recent
economic slow down in China, the government had unveiled massive public project
in second tear cities by improving their infrastructure. Hangzhou is getting
her new metro system. The whole city is like a war zone, there were dust
everywhere, and you can hardly even saw the sky. My god, why am I trading the
cool temperature and blue sky for the air polluted dust fill city. My Taxi
can’t even get into the driveway of the hotel.
After I
settled in, I ask for direction to the lake, then my exodus began, it was like
in the Pamplona Bull Run, just follow with the crowd. If everyone crosses the
street you did so as well. The road was all dig up and full of mud and dirt,
every passing vehicle kick-up more dust. People were pushing. That was not fun
it was madness.
Until the
first of the glimpse of the West Lake behind the willow tress all my trouble was
forgotten. It was magical. The ancient cause way, the rental boats, the willow
trees, just like I saw in the Chinese ink paintings, minus the people of
course. In the historical photographs, there was only hand full of people on
the causeway connected by long arched stone bridges. However what I saw instead
was a mountain of ants like people pile on top of the historical bridges.
Moving about in both directions.
Moving
along the willow trees lined lakeshore, I can’t help to fall into deep thought
on how it must had been so beautiful, until I woke by the noise of vehicles and
thousands of orange colored ugly rental bikes with riders maneuvering their
bikes on the narrow sidewalk. Ran over any one at their will, because were not
qualify riders. There is no room for biking here, just get off of it people. No
I did not, I minded my manners.
The sun
starting to set, I thought perhaps it was time to Taxi to the hotel for a foot
message before head out for an evening cocktail on the lake to watch the Sunset
over the hazy horizons. What a perfect ending to an adventures filled day.
Life is
never perfect, no matter how careful we often thought we had it all planned. I
discovered that, I was off the tourist map. A wrong turn while taking my walk
hugging the lakeshore in fact put me deep in the inlets. I was desperately
seeking a way out before the mountain lion appear under the moonlight and
target me as their USDA graded steak dinner.
Many
friendly and helpful locals gave me the “round about” directions; Perhaps my
limited Chinese skill is not getting me any where, but I have a map baby and I
know how to point isn’t that enough?
I finally ran
into a couple international tourists they were exploring with their GPS, I had
my as well, except I do not know the name of the cross road I entered the lake
earlier. Well, I tag along for a little while and exchange travel stories as if
we were long lost buddies, until we came to a cross road and they told me that
they were going to get in their car to drove down the hill, they point out that
all I need to do is to follow the road down.
Come on,
shouldn’t they offer me a ride? Well that was no Hollywood or Bollywood
endings. I walked alone in the dark.
Eventually
I was back on the shoreline after an 8 hours hike, I was exhausted I hailed a
taxi, forget about foot message. I need a beer now. After I told him the
location, he told me to get out of the taxi, it is just around the corner.
After the dust was settled I was left on the sidewalk watch the taxi slip away
into the neon filled street.
The beer
and meal in this little place was fantastic, I was recharged. Again follow the
lakeshore. I was rewarded by a special water show that last for half an hour. By
the time I got back to the hotel, I can resist to have a foot and full body
message. That night. I slept like a baby.
Hangzhou
day 2
I got up
early for a head start. The hotel concierge advise me that the best I can do is
to take the taxi from the hotel to the most remote temple first then try my
luck to go to the second location.
At 7 in the
morning, while the rest of the cities were asleep, the road to the temple
already experiencing dead lock jams. My taxi trip comes to a full stop that
lasted half an hour. My driver took me on a wild ride thru the tunnel, 20
minutes later we arrive at the famous Lingyin temple.
The lines
to the ticket office were all long and there were stampede going on at the
front. No one care about rule, just try to get to the front. I elbow myself to
the window like all others, but I stand tall, and keep cursing them in English.
Chinese think that is entertainment, seeing foreigners loosing their cool.
Pilgrimage
was never easy my 1st ticket only got me thru the temple garden. I
should have learned by now that “efficiency” is not a Chinese word. I realized
that there was another line I had to conquer in order to enter the sacred
grounds. This time the line is rather civilize, because a lot of the other locals
were not willing to pay for a second ticket to enter the scared ground unless
they were true devotees, and wanted to burn incense in the temple while burning
a hole in the pocket at the same time. I am saying that is because you cannot
bring incenses to the temple, you have to buy them there. How clever. : )
Lingyin
Temple is one of the
most significant and beautiful Buddhist monasteries in China.
"Ling-yin" means "Soul's Retreat" in Chinese; therefore,
the temple's name is commonly literally translated as Temple of the Soul's
Retreat.
The entrance to the monastery is
lined with hundreds of rock grottos that contain detailed religious rock
carvings. The Temple contains an important collection of Buddhist literature
together with many other treasures. As a consequence, it is a great storehouse
of information for those who wish to study aspects of Chinese Buddhism in
detail.
On my way out I was fortunately to
find Taxi outside the temple ground. I headed to the Leifend Pagoda
The Leifeng Pagoda was an
octagonal, five-story structure built of brick and wood and with a base built
out of bricks in 975 AD. During the Ming dynasty, Japanese pirates attacked Hangzhou. Suspecting the pagoda contained weapons;
they burned its wooden elements, leaving only the brick skeleton. Later, due to
a superstition the bricks from the tower could repel illness or prevent
miscarriage, many people stole bricks from the tower to grind into powder. On
the afternoon of September 25, 1924, the pagoda finally collapsed due to
disrepair, and was finally rebuilt in 2011.Once again I climbed the 7 stories to the top to take in the vista of the entire west lake. What a sight that was. After an hour of struggle to get a taxi I gave up the idea of lunch on the lake and headed straight to the train station. I had enough of humanities. I need to get back to civilization.
Hangzhou station is a far cry from the Shanghai station. The ticket office is on a separate building with 30 ticket windows, yet the hall was fill to the max; there must be at least 2000 souls inside a place with no air-conditioned. Again, I fight, and elbowed my way to the front, the Chinese have no concept of lines. While the younger generations were a little more polite, the other folks from the countryside or smaller cities would cut in front of you with no apologize needed.
Something I learn for me extended stay in China. I learn that these are the people so resilience, they can accept anything as they come while we foreigner think unacceptable, it is just the norm for them. The other fact is that Money not always works here wither, we can flex our dollar as much as we can, there are thousands of them can afford a lot more that we ever could. A single low-key night out can cost an upward of thousands in USD. And dinner is not included.
Everyday in this foreign land give me a new angle in live, I would otherwise able to experience back home.
Chance Encounter Hangzhou
