Tom: Hangzhou (May 11)

Hangzhou (May 11) · May 13, 11:04 AM

This morning I left with Gu Yu for the metro station after saying goodbye to Minmin. Yu and I had porridge, soup, and breakfast sandwiches at a KFC adjacent to the station, in the middle of a high-tech park that had been rice patties about 5 years ago. KFC is very big in China — maybe their menu is already suiting for the Chinese market, or maybe they’ve been properly flexible.

From the metro it was thirty minutes to the Shanghai Train Station. It’s a very large station. After a ninety minute wait, I am on train T743 to Hangzhou.

...

I shared a cab with a German engineer employeed with VW in Shanghai from the East Hangzhou rail station down to the East side of the West Lake. I’m at an HI(Hosteling International) hostel here — it’s quite good to be into standard backpacker territory finally.

This afternoon the sky was clear and the wind was light; I took a walk, of course around the lake, of course. But first I dove East into the city looking for a LP(Lonely Planet) recommended noodle shop. It wasn’t there, and has probably been knocked down. I settled for a four-tabled niche kitchen and convinced the cook to make me I-don’t-care-what. For 12 RMB I had a bird in a noodle soup and a tray of steamed dumplings.

Walking back to the lakeshore past brand stores, 8 story malls, and tree lines back streets with laundry hanging out windows in the Chinese fashion, I also had ice-cream and three items from a breadish shop — fried pita-like bread, a fried rice and red bean paste ball, and a sweeter sticky spiced rice ball. This all fueled my walk around and across the West Lake.

The West Lake is quintessentially Chinese. Tour groups shepherded with loudspeakers and secluded pagodas and gardens. Two thousands years of history and skyscrapers. Ferrari stores, five-star dining, and apartment block housing without potable water. Along the lake I saw a fountain display set to music, karaoke in the park, vending stalls selling stuff on a stick, many rented bicycles, and Lonely Planet style western tourists. The West and the North sides of the lake are developed and traffic’d. The South and East sides are quieter.

I was quite content: a soft breeze, a warm sun, tree, and happy people. My walk was reflective and comforting, like walks on the West Lake have been for 1200 years when Hangzhou’s governor had the place dredged out.

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http://tom.spacing-guild.net/2006/05/13/hangzhou-ii-may-12

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