Hangzhou in 2 Days: A Whirlwind Tour

[Pamela Miller]

Hello everyone! I am here to talk about my trip to Hangzhou again!

• Recently, I have loved the West Lake so much that I couldn't resist going to Hangzhou for another tour!
  • The West Lake in Hangzhou is extremely well-known. It is a stunning freshwater lake in eastern China, famous for its beautiful scenery and always captivating my gaze no matter how many times I see it.
• Yesterday, I spent all day at the West Lake without going anywhere else, walking over two hundred thousand steps, feeling like my legs were about to give out!
• For lunch, I went to "Louwailou", an old and famous restaurant right by the lake:
  • This restaurant enjoys great popularity in Hangzhou and has a long history, just as it sits beside the picturesque West Lake.
  • Last year, I visited this place for the first time and had a pleasant taste of their signature dish "West Lake Vinegar Fish".
    • This dish is made with grass fish caught in the West Lake and has an extraordinary balance of sweet and sour flavors, being one of the iconic dishes in Hangzhou cuisine.
  • However, I have seen countless negative reviews online about how much people despise this dish lately, leaving me wondering if my taste buds were somehow malfunctioning. Therefore, I decided to try it again.
  • Honestly speaking, I didn't think it was so terrible after my latest experience. I don't really like eating fish in general, as I dislike picking out bones and being afraid of its smell.
  • Nonetheless, I find myself perfectly fine with this "West Lake Vinegar Fish", and whenever anyone questions my dietary preferences in the future, I would tell them: "I can eat half of a West Lake Vinegar Fish by myself!"
• After my lunch, I discovered a nearby shop called "Wushanjy" that had many themed items from "Grave Robber Chronicles"!
  • "Grave Robber Chronicles" is a tremendously popular Chinese adventure novel, with legions of followers calling themselves "fans of Guzi" for the themed goods.
  • I picked a few favorite items as souvenirs. Before checking out, my periphery vision saw a cosplayer at the corner of the shop portraying two main characters from the novel.
    • This pair is called "Ping Ye". In "Grave Robber Chronicles", PIng and Ye are a couple of fan-made characters who are widely adored. A cosplay or cosplayer simply means someone posing as a fictional character.
    • These cosplayers (or netizens who play video games/act as cosplayers), were absolutely astounding in the level of resemblance to their roles, almost as though they walked straight out from pages of the book!
  • I studied the pair closely multiple times before mustering up the courage to approach them and started chatting, upon which one of them gifted me a plethora of fan-made goods ("materials"). What an absolutely joyful day!
• It feels quite soothing to lose oneself into gazing at the trees and water along the shore of the West Lake, as if entering the "park's fifteen minutes of relaxation".
• Today, I paid a visit to Lingyin Temple, a renowned ancient Buddhist temple in Hangzhou, while hiking around the same time and walking over two hundred thousand steps as usual.
  • I bought some small gifts for family members.
• In the afternoon, I arrived at Hengdian Mall, an extensive shopping mall in Hangzhou:
  • Holy cow! It seemed like half of the entire mall's patrons were cosplayers!
  • At first my mind drifted away, questioning whether I was dreaming or not. I forgot that it's CP31 (Comicup 31, China's most significant comics and anime-fan community event) today.
  • As an introvert, I was just quietly strolling around the mall, looking for souvenirs that catch my eye.
  • There was a girl dressed up as Li Ming in the manga "Cardfight!! Vanguard". She was exceedingly cute and I went over to talk to her, only to get a pile of collectibles thrown right at me!
  • To resolve the excessive collectibles problem, I hurriedly descended the floor to Muji Shopping Mall (a Japanese general store) bought two bags of snacks, then distribute candies to cosplayers I encounter along the way.
• Over these two days in Hangzhou, you can see "Grave Robber Chronicles"'cosplayers everywhere - Macao, a city renowned for its numerous fans and investments of time and money into their favorite show, is indeed the "Grave Robber Chronicles" fan community's fortress.
• I was initially planning to return to school tomorrow but the weekend train ticket shortage from Hangzhou to Shanghai rendered my original plan unfeasible!
• Since I’m meeting another friend next Monday, there’s no choice but to cancel my hotel reservation and head back today instead.

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️ Important Tips for Solo Travel, Especially Female Travelers

• Aware of Street Harassment
  • Yesterday afternoon while walking around the West Lake area, a man on a motorcycle whistled at me. He drove far, constantly turning to stare at me before realizing what happened.
  • What to do To stay alert. When feeling unsafe, avoid dangerous situations and head towards more populated areas.
• Watch Out for Approaching Strangers
  • Last night’s journey from the Wulin Trade Center (a commercial district) saw another incident. A rather odd old man stopped me abruptly with some uninviting words not far from where I was.
  • He started talking about coming all the way to look for work at the building site and being poor for over ten days, saying “I don't mind if you laugh at me, I'm from a rural area”.
  • I advised him to seek help from the police station but he swore and walked away.
  • What to do Do not blindly trust in dangerous situations. Suggest them to find official help instead such as the police or shelter after listening politely, then quickly leave. If people persist in bothering you, head toward more crowded public places or call for aid immediately. Stay safe by avoiding spending too long alone in lonely or under-light areas, especially at night.