Hanging in Hangzhou

Hangzhou bus

Leaving most of our luggage in Shanghai we go for a five-day country outing with small backpacks only. After the departure from an airport-like train station, our train flies to Hangzhou at a smooth 350km/h. Wayne cannot believe his eyes – glued to the speedometer and I change my mind from the other night: If all places would be connected by Chinese high speed train I would not travel by a plane ever again.

The inside of the bus in Hangzhou is fitted with vintage wood. But don't think we have abruptly gone low-tech: it comes with a flat-screen TV...

After checking in at Mingtown Youth Hostel we rush out into the sunshine and to the lake which is just 200m from the hostel. No ways we can walk around it in an afternoon stroll as planned. It's huge. When we reach a concrete causeway across the lake, we decide to hire bikes. They only have one single and one tandem. Jeannine opts for the single, so Wayne & I squeeze on the tandem. The bikes are built for people with very short legs. And the brakes don't work so well either. The tandem veers wildly across the rather busy causeway. In order to complete the comic picture & give the locals a chance to clear our trajectory, we don our newly acquired head gear. 

 

It's hard to tell if people think we are hysterical or hysterically funny.

The sun starts setting and we quickly throw ourselves into a pose to catch the ideal portrait light.

sunset over Hangzhou lake

On the way back we come across a very funky looking restaurant. Fortunately the prices don't match the stylishness and we spend the next two hours drinking delicious fruit teas (with actual fruit in it) and eating yummy food.

1000-year-old eggs

After putting on some warmer clothes we head lake-wards once more because it is full moon and we are hoping to see some nice reflections.

round doorway in Hangzhou

 Ready for bed, Jeannine & I meet some cute local guys in the unisex dorm showers.
I am not sure who is more embarrassed. Them in their shorts or us clutching our PJs.