Hang Zhou, China

I just got back from China and finally, some time to sit down, upload these beautiful photos and share with you guys. First stop, Hang Zhou.

There is a saying regarding Hang Zhou (HZ) and Su Zhou (SZ) in Chinese literature: there is heaven above, there is HZ and SZ on earth. Slightly exaggerating, but this shows the position and beauty of these two ancient states in the hearts of poets. I was really looking forward to going into HZ, after being there myself in the realms of old RPG Play Station 'wu xia' games and Jin Yong novels. A cool blast of autumn wind greeted my arrival at the Xiao Shan HZ Airport, which I took it as a good omen.

The first spot we visited, was the famous Xi Hu (West Lake) , which I had been in the realms mentioned above. The entire lake was huge and melancholic, like a cool mirror deflecting pretty reflections of the girls there. With the cold weather and a sweet breeze blowing, it's hard to not indulge into the reminiscent mood swings of ancient poets who once wrote on Xi Hu's banks. HZ city is also known as the city of romance, and Xi Hu plays host to many romantic tales, which were recited by our spirited Christian tour guide and I only remember hearing about Bai Niang (White Lady).

The willow trees producing an 'emo' effect.

So beautiful that it makes you want to cry. Currently my desktop wallpaper lol.

It was a fine morning, and I enjoyed sauntering along the banks, surrounded by Chinese people speaking in Mandarin but with a totally different accent than mine. It adds to the effect, galvanising my imagination of ancient times into a higher degree. After a few walks though, I began to notice something rather awful, which will eventually accompany me throughout the entire trip, to my disgust, that they spit a lot. And everywhere. It's not a peculiar sight to have someone talking loudly in their tongue, clear their throats in a rasping manner, and spit it out hard, bull's eye. It is tang du jia ren, meaning an offence to a pretty lady, which in my case, the scenes and sights of Xi Hu.

Due to the hasty nature of our one-day tour schedule, we did not complete the walking we desired, which may take up to a few hours. We returned to the lake in the later part of our trip, and Xi Hu, well, she satisfied us.

Next stop in HZ was a park. In China, the government built a lot of similar parks, though with varying degree of workmanship and effort. They are greenly serene and spacious, ideal spot for the old to pursue health and the young to pursue one another.

A liang ting, hut, beside a pond covered in yellow leaves.

Now I know how easy it is for them to snap 'wu xia' movies. The background is natural and tailored for such settings.

We went to another spot, this time man-made. It was a place modelled after the Song Dynasty, and it was magnificent. The streets was a lot like them movies, with shops and jiu lou (restaurant) fashioned after their Song predecessors, and the shop people were dressed in Song style as well!

Walking in those streets, I really felt like xiao xia mi, a character in a Chinese RPG wu xia game. In other words, I felt ancient, as if time has decided to return to its lover without considering the people it carried and carries.

In the picture, the red lanterns and bustling streets, and the distant mountains which towered over them, create a wu xia feel to the entire place. A reader of Jin Yong or other similar novelists would totally understand what I am trying to say here.

We went to other places, which were less interesting to talk about. The day ends earlier here, and darkness descends about 5pm.

The railway station. Next stop, Su Zhou!