Hangzhou July 2, 2010
Posted by freda in China.trackback
On Sunday, June 20th, I went with Fred and Sharon to Hangzhou. Fred has friends there, Aga and Anatol, a young couple from Poland, whom he met through foosball. (Have I mentioned Fred’s a foosball god in Shanghai?!? Check out his website: www.shanghaifoosball.com He sells foosball tables, coaches players, etc, and there are several photos on the site.) We were going to have lunch together and see a bit of the city, especially West Lake, the city’s biggest “attraction.”
The rainy season had started and on Sunday it poured during our drive (about 2 1/2 hours), but we watched a movie and tried to ignore the rain. We found the apartment of Aga and Anatol, picked them up and drove downtown to have lunch. Then we went for a walk around a portion of West Lake. According to my Eyewitness travel guide, “Long considered one of the scenic wonders of China, covering over three square miles, West Lake (Xi Hu) is situated at the heart of Hangzhou. Surrounded by gentle green hills, the lake’s willow-shaded causeways and fragrant cover of lotus blossoms have long been an inspiration for artists.” An advertising article about Hangzhou in the Shanghai Daily, says: Embraced by hilly peaks on three sides, West Lake has been an attraction for centuries. A poem about the lake goes like this: “Rippling water shimmering on a sunny day, misty mountains shrouded in rain; plain or gaily dressed like Xizi; West Lake is always alluring.” The lines were written by the famous Song Dynasty (960-1279) poet Su Shi. In the poem he compares West Lake to Xi Shi (Xizi), one of the “Four Beauties” in ancient China.”
Well, the line “shrouded in rain” describes our day. We couldn’t see across the lake, to realise its size or see the “gentle green hills.” Though, what we saw was picturesque….
a small bridge (never saw the main one)
misty rain - can't see far
Sharon and I with gay Chinese parasols
lotus plants (no flowers yet)
After ambling along for almost an hour, we were hot and sweaty, so we stopped for a cold drink, called Sharon and Fred’s driver, and drove to the Lingyin Temple. Again from the Shanghai Daily: “The temple is one of the largest Buddhist temples in China, and contains numerous pagodas and Buddhist grottoes. The presence of a temple in the area can be traced back to the Eastern Jin Dynasty (Ad 317-420) when an Indian monk, Huili, came to the area. He was inspired by the spiritual nature of the scenery here. He figured the immortals had to live here and he named the temple Ling Yin (literally translated as Temple of the Soul’s Retreat) as the site is both quiet and beautiful, encouraging a peaceful feeling. The monastery features a large number of grottoes and religious rock carvings.”
the carvings in the rocks are stunning
close up
carvings back in the hill
close up
this little guy followed his father's lead
but he didn't like it when the smoke got in his eyes
the misty rain did not stop the crowds
this temple had the largest Buddha I've ever seen
After walking through the temple, we made our way up the hill (many stairs) to a lovely little tea house at the top.
beautiful, lush grounds as we climb
traditional doorways - that's Anatol and Fred
lions flanking the entrance
guardians
beautiful ponds and gardens
tea house
inside the teahouse looking out
tea ceremony (with Aga and Anatol in background)
pouring out the tea
a beautiful, tranquil setting
After enjoying tea, we made our way back down the hill to the car, where Bing, Fred and Sharon’s driver, was waiting. We then dropped Aga and Anatol downtown and started on the long drive home, watching another movie along the way and were home by 9 p.m. It was a lovely day despite rain. I think the highlight was the tea ceremony.
Well, I’ve had a few weeks of spending time with friends, shopping and getting organized. My bags are packed, I’m ready to go… My next post will be from Vancouver. Cheers!
freda's world adventures 
hi, I am busy checking things on the computer, and just read this one, too bad for the rain, but some good pictures.
You don’t seem toget many comments, but I like reading them.
Mom