If you say this, people will call you poor.

Swimming.

Oh right, I remember now! There are specific cars you have to be in.

It's just a small town, but I loved the feeling of cruising around on a little e-scooter, enjoying the sea views. It's so relaxing to just wander at your own pace and see where the road takes you.

Every place in the world has its pros and cons. There's no need to nitpick or overgeneralize. If you're really capable, just move to a place with a better environment.

I stayed at an American-style place similar to this one, and it was the same. Water leaked into the room every time you showered. The room was tiny – two people could barely turn around – and the facilities were awful.

Definitely.

Wow, thank you for making it so clear! We'll definitely visit the spots you recommended.

It's not raining here, though. I'm in Tianhe.

Exactly! We just wanted to see the Grand Circus again, but it felt like we got totally ripped off here.

So many restaurants label themselves 'Hangzhou cuisine' but aren't even run by locals. People just jump to conclusions, say Hangzhou food is awful, and then whine about it online! When we travel, if we eat something we don't like, we'd at most say 'it's not quite my taste.' We'd never go out of our way to badmouth it.

It's still early days! Wait until July and August – that's when it truly becomes a human-sized steamer, like a sauce reducing on high heat.

Even I find this weird.

The e-bikes on Pingjiang Road drive like they're trying to run you over...

Today at the Canglang Pavilion, I bought a bottle of 'Classmate Xiaoming' Lime Black Tea from a vending machine – 9 yuan!!

Well, that's because our local cuisine is generally sweet here!

I have something to tell those friends who want to take the gondolas with paddles on Hangzhou’s docks! Let me give you some advice.

• I originally thought early birds catch worms, so I rushed to a dock by West Lake bright and early at seven, hoping to enjoy the slow ride on a wooden boat (that's what they call yáolǔchuán, a small boat that reflects the charm of a water town).
• The situation? No one was queuing up! Everyone was yelling at their boatmen in an attempt to get one first.
• Truly waking up in vain, mood spoiled.
  • #West_Lake_bells_of_beauty
  • #Spring_is_beautiful_everywhere_in_Jiangnan
  • #Out_on_the_water

• Later, a little junior girl said that Majiawan Dock had more boats. So I took my kids there by taxi.
  • (Majiawan Port is another part of the lake where you can get a boat ride.)
• Oh noes! There was a sea of people! Staff directly advised us to not join them as we'd be queueing for at least six hours!
• In a word, we gave it our last shot and took the kids out in a child-size paddle boat.
• Today, I simply have to voice out an inconvenience. Trying to be a boater in Hangzhou is nothing but yelling loudly, as a way of 'claiming' your boatman. This experience is simply awful!
  • #Between_cynthis_there_is_heaven_Below_there_are_Suzhou_and_Hangzhou
  • #Hiking_at_Liu_Lang_Wen_Ying

️ Special tips for foreign visitors:

• About Yáolǔchuán:

  • It is a highly popular way to cruise the beautiful Lake West, where the oarsman uses a long oar, and the speed is relaxing, allowing for leisurely sightseeing.
  • They are typically privately owned, unlike large cruise vessels, which have fixed ticket counters and queues.

• Heads up! Possible pier problems:

  • No Orderly Queue: Just like in my case, in certain docks, especially during early morning light attendance periods, there might be no official queueing system. Everyone just tries to chat with the boatman directly (or "grab" him). The loud haggling and crowding may discourage some who would rather avoid the crowds or chaos.
    • How to deal with it: If you see this situation, you could try negotiating your needs with the boatman directly, or observe how locals cope with it. If you are bothered by the situation, consider trying the boat at a different dock or opting for a different kind of boat.
  • Extremely Long Waits: At popular docks (such as the one I visited, Majiawan) and peak tourist seasons, wait times could potentially be several hours even if there is a queue (such as 6 hours!).
    • How to deal with it:
      • Enquire beforehand: Ask hotel staff or local residents about which dock has better order, or less crowded times.
      • Rethink your expectations: If you really wish to experience yáolǔchuán, prepare yourself for long waits.
      • Consider alternatives: West Lake also holds other kinds of boats, such as those under official operation with fixed schedules and ticket counters. Or child-friendly pedal boats like the one I finally chose; these usually feature orderly queue lines.

• Overall suggestion:

  • To enjoy yáolǔchuán without too much hassle or disappointment, you may want to avoid public holidays and weekends, when congestion levels reach peaks.
  • Alternatively, try your luck at a somewhat obscure dock (but bear in mind obtaining relevant information may prove challenging).
  • Last but not least, take a walk around the lakeside if everything else fails. The Lake West itself is quite charming!

Most people in Shenzhen are just ordinary folks, really.

You go to Hong Kong and complain about being looked down upon, then come to Shenzhen just to scoff. Little do you know, most second-generation Shenzheners are wealthier than you. Even if they were in Hong Kong, they'd likely be able to afford property and wouldn't just have an employee mindset.

Nobody on our bus bought a single piece of jade. When we got back on, they wouldn't even turn on the AC! We almost got into a fight. The bus drove for over ten minutes, and they only turned on the air conditioning after we threatened to call the police. And there was an elderly lady in her 80s or 90s on the bus!