Sorry, Hangzhou. Turns Out You're Freaking Awesome!

[Morris Schneider]

Sure, here is the translation:

Great! This travelogue about Hangzhou has a profound and sincere touch. I'll help polish it up to make sure foreign friends can easily understand your points.

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Hangzhou, I apologize! I used to misunderstand you.

• Back then, every time I heard about Hangzhou on the internet, I thought of e-commerce companies, popular online celebrities, and subpar eating options—what people call a "barren land for food."
• Although hearing about West Lake (the most famous scenic spot in Hangzhou, as iconic as New York City's Central Park but with more Chinese classical beauty) sounded good, I always thought the city was very noisy and expensive.
• In my mind, Hangzhou was skyscrapers everywhere, busy people running around looking tired, and influencers filming short videos alongside them.

Then, I watched a TV drama called "Love You", and wow, the scenery in that show made me feel such happiness! The soothing and picturesque scenes immediately made me want to see Hangzhou with my own eyes.

• During Labor Day, a public holiday in China, I visited Hangzhou for two days and that completely changed my perspective!
• Once there, it felt like my eyes were wearing a filter, turning the whole world into the poetic ambience of Southern Jiangnan—referring to a region south of the Yangtze River characterized by its beautiful landscape, water towns, and rich cultural heritage.
  • Tip: "Jiangnan" literally translates to "South of the Yangtze River." It refers to wealthy regions south of the river known for their stunning scenery, water towns, cultural heritage.
• Riding through shady roads between tall trees on a small electric scooter, this convenient means of transportation in Hangzhou, made me feel like I had entered a fairy tale world! Old houses by West Lake are packed with charm.
• Here, I realized what "the 20-minute effect of parks" entails—being in a green environment for a short while would significantly relax people. My sights and mood were definitely "healed."

Also, the food surprised me!

• I visited a restaurant called "Xin Bai Lu," where every dish I tried, including red-cooked pork belly (braised in a sweet sauce), crab roe tofu (tofu mixed with essential crabs), and salted egg yolk chicken wings (battered and fried chicken wings dipped with salted egg yolk), were absolutely delicious!
• Important reminder/tip for foodies: Entering a local restaurant called "Pan Fang Chun" near the road, their dumplings were so good I wanted to cry, and regretted not buying too many!
• Also, that time I thought it looked good but tasted lousy "Zhi Wei Guan" (a famous traditional snack shop), their snacks were surprisingly delicious! Especially the tea-scented fillings, very refreshing without sticking to the palate.

Unfortunately, my visit was too short and there were so many places I could not visit.

• But the biggest surprise was that I rediscovered Hangzhou. This place is so beautiful that I think I'll come back to work and live here!
• I'm going to come back again! Next time, I will stay longer to experience this slow pace of life and the West Lake scenery to the fullest, indulging in Hangzhou cuisine.

As Chinese say: "Heaven above, Suzhou & Hangzhou below," where Suzhou and Hangzhou are believed to be the most beautiful region in China aside from heaven. After visiting Hangzhou, I truly believe it! Hangzhou, with its beauty and delightful food, is definitely one of my favorites!

#ParadiseAboveSuzhouBelow #LakesidePicturesqueViews #JiangnanCharm
#IfICometoHangzhouAgain #HangzhouFoodLover #ThePlaceWhereLoveYouFilmed #LoveYouDrama #TVShowLoveYou

[Sylvia Franecki]

Go online and you'll see – posts criticizing Hangzhou get tons of views. Things like 'Avoid Hangzhou at all costs' or 'Steer clear of West Lake.' They say Hangzhou is all marketing and a 'food desert.' It feels like these people are just chasing clout and views. As if regular folks like us, who haven't even been to these places, have the time to read endless 'don't go here, don't go there' warnings every day.

[Ms. Cecilia Lowe]

Exactly! Post a video saying West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce is terrible, and you'll get tons of likes. Say it's delicious? No views for you.

[Sally Breitenberg]

Things like influencers and e-commerce aren't really core to what Hangzhou is about. But online, the moment Hangzhou is mentioned, it's all negative. Locals like us don't even know how to explain it anymore.

[Leland Erdman]

Then don't bother explaining. The more you try, the more worked up they get. Honestly, as long as we're enjoying our lives and good food here, that's all that matters.

[Katrina Sporer]

I didn't feel that way when I lived in Hangzhou before. But after a year in Beijing, I resolutely decided to come back.

[Lena Oberbrunner]

Haha, same here! I transferred back to Hangzhou after working in Beijing for two years. Beijing is nice too, but I just couldn't get used to the dry climate.

[Dana Sanford]

Although it's hot and humid this season, the lush greenery everywhere looks like something out of a fairy tale.

[Carmen Willms]

This shot is absolutely stunning!

[Misty Dare]

Hangzhou never disappoints those who make a special trip just for her.

[Marion Barrows]

Hehe, thank you! You're always welcome back in Hangzhou!

[Christina Altenwerth]

Hangzhou: always losing the argument online, but never disappointing in real life.

[Jeremiah Stamm-Carroll]

🫂 So heartwarming.

[Lula Schmidt]

I really love Hangzhou too. My favorite thing is the abundance of dense, shady trees lining the streets. All that lush green is so relaxing.

[Brenda Shanahan]

Hey everyone, sorry to go off-topic, but I need some help!