Today's.

My Taiwanese friends, how about sponsoring me a pack of zha cai (pickled mustard greens)?

I still remember this: the front desk guy at the youth hostel I stayed at was handsome. One morning, as I was heading out, he was incredibly enthusiastic and told me my hat looked great. I was secretly thrilled for the rest of the day.

They removed public trash cans and parked a bunch of e-bikes there instead. So now there's more spitting and littering; you can't find a trash can for a kilometer around.

I'm about to graduate and start an internship. Planning to come to Shenzhen to work and do some exploring on the side.

So true.

Stuck in traffic, I'm honestly speechless.

Damn, that's so true! I've never seen discussions about the differences between locals and outsiders in any other city-related topic.

Who knows what random stuff they were eating. They clearly didn't do any research before their trip and now just blame the place for not meeting their expectations. They would've been better off staying home.

I went last weekend and visited Xiaohe Straight Street in the evening. Honestly, it was a bit of a letdown.

I've just spent three days in Suzhou; overall, it was terrific!

First off, they say "above, there's heaven; below, Suzhou and Hangzhou" (a Chinese saying meaning the beautiful cities of Suzhou and Hangzhou are like paradise on earth). Suzhou has fully lived up to its reputation:

• The scenery here is absolutely stunning, particularly the classical gardens (large courtyards from ancient times with ponds, rock formations, and pavilions) and water town views (the picturesque bridges, streams, and traditional houses), which make for great snapshots no matter where you frame them.
• Getting around in the city is very convenient; it feels much easier to get anywhere you wish to go.
• The weather is also just perfect, neither too hot nor too cold, making my outings very enjoyable.

However, there's one thing I must warn you about, especially fellow foreign friends:

• The food simply doesn't agree with some of us! Suzhou cuisine is toooo sweet!
  • Indeed, many dishes have a surprisingly sweet taste, including some meat dishes. This sweetness is a signature trait of Suzhou local cuisine (Su-style).
  • If you usually prefer lighter flavors, or find it hard to adjust to sweet tastes (for example, if meals in your home country are typically more savory, spicy, or sour), you might experience some confusion, feeling a little overwhelmed by the sweetness.
  • What can we do about it, though?
    • When ordering, try asking the waitstaff if dishes could have "less sugar" (少放点糖/shǎo fàng diān táng).
    • Or, intentionally pick dishes on the menu which appear less sweet according to Su-style cooking, like steamed fish or vegetables; make sure you confirm with the server about the flavors.
    • Alternatively, just like me, you might have to drink more tea (or beer!) to balance things out, hehe!

In summary, Suzhou is definitely worth a visit, with great scenery and memorable experiences; just bear in mind to prepare yourself mentally for the "eating" aspect!

Sigh. Public etiquette and civic-mindedness still have a long way to go.

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.

---

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

Yes, I feel the same way. I can't remember who said it, but 'The Shanghai you experience arriving at the train station with all your bags is not the same Shanghai as the one experienced by someone arriving through an airport VIP lounge.' Honestly, I'm quite lost. I initially came to Shanghai because I thought I was a go-getter, someone who could find opportunities here. But after arriving, I feel so insignificant. The financial strain right after graduation really hits you in every way; it's uncomfortably tight. Every waking moment you're calculating next month's rent and food expenses. I have no energy to go out on weekends. I feel like an NPC just repeating the same commands every day. Seriously, after work today, I was too tired to even speak. It feels like after studying so much, with so many high hopes placed on me, I came here full of ambition, only to end up feeling like an expendable resource.

Okay , I'm planning to bring 20,000 TWD. If that's really not enough, I'll just have to cut back on my spending!

Some convenience stores (like 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Hi-Life) have restrooms.

It's just that some people from well-connected families got rich. It's a shame that for our generation, the chances of making enough money to live that comfortably are so slim.

Your job sounds so cool!

How do you apply for the Youth Post Stations?

So glad I didn't listen to the tour guide yesterday and went to the South Great Wall instead.