My Hangzhou Travel Grab Bag
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Wow, my impression of Hangzhou is like an ocean of green! The city is filled with various shades of green: emerald, bright, dark, light... They make my eyes feel incredibly comfortable.
While I don't enjoy strict, meticulously planned trips that require adhering to a rigid schedule, which can often be exhausting, I prefer the freedom of traveling at my leisure. I love being spontaneous, taking it easy, and casually exploring along the way. ("Let's take it as it comes," "Just wandering around," "Take a rest"—these are my catchphrases.) This kind of unexpected surprise makes travel so much more enjoyable! (Confession: This is perhaps a lazy way of thinking, but it helps justify our love for spontaneity.)
On my first day, I visited Hupao Park (a park renowned for its clear spring water), then visited Lishen Pagoda (an ancient temple with scenic views of Qiantang River), and finally Prince Bay (a nice spot to enjoy flowers in the spring).
By coincidence, we stumbled upon Wu Shan Ming Art Museum and impulsively decided to check it out. The small cafe was quiet and sparsely occupied, giving us a chance to charge our phones and rest ourselves. We unexpectedly encountered a lottery event there, where I won a fortune cookie🥠. Inside, there was a tiny message reading: “Take your passion and make it come true.”
The next day, we visited Yongfu Temple (home to a serene Buddhist temple) and Yuhexi Lake (one of Hangzhou’s must-visit spots, especially the Yanggong Dyke). I strongly recommend renting a bike from Yongfu Temple to cruise around West Lake; with all those downhill stretches, it feels like a breath of fresh air for me.
Now let me tell you about the food in Hangzhou, which has its good points and its drawbacks.
For lunch on the first day, we ate local Hangzhounese cuisine, called Hangbang dishes, and honestly, it wasn’t very tasty—too bland.
After starving throughout the day, we ordered takeout from a restaurant named “Chen Bajiang” for dinner, and waited over an hour. Upon arrival, we quickly shoveled it into our mouths, while whining all the way. However, it was fun to criticize the restaurant together. Their pork cutlet (aka large chunks of deep-fried pork) is really delicious, served with noodles that we requested spicy, but found rather tasteless. A plus point was that their noodle and soup came separately, so the noodles wouldn’t soak up moisture.
For breakfast on the second day, we hunted down a no-signboard egg tart stand near where we stayed. It was my first time trying salted soy milk and salty tofu pudding (which are common Chinese breakfast foods usually sweeter but comes in salty versions as well). As bizarre as they seemed initially, I started enjoying them with each spoonful! The first attempt at the egg tart was filled with aromatic, fully-flavored egginess, but unluckily, the second batch tasted overly salty, hinting at inconsistent chefs. As we left, the owner warmly greeted saying, “Did you enjoy?” The warmth was endearing.
On our final day, as we were looking for a coffee shop but found them packed with people, we aimlessly explored and ate somewhere nice-looking despite it being Japanese (surprisingly tasty!
This was probably the best food in Hangzhou for me this trip!
).*Tips and Precautions for foreign visitors:
*Hangzhou is a leisure-friendly city: For a cozy coffee and rest, Wu Shan Ming Art Museum’s cafe is a great choice, often unpopulated.
*Bicycle trips: Consider cycling from Yongfu Temple (famous for its temple atmosphere) to West Lake via Yanggong Dyke (one of the key attractions in Hangzhou), offering plenty of scenic downhill stretches.
*Local flavors: Hangzhounese cuisine tastes fairly mild. If you prefer stronger flavors, kindly ask restaurants to adjust.
*Delivery times: While China’s takeaway system is convenient, expect delays during peak hours, such as our one-hour wait.
*Street food experiences: Egg tarts and the like can vary widely in quality, depending on luck. Like salted soy milk and salt-dipped tofu, they are typical Chinese breakfasts that may strike foreigners as exotic. Do not hesitate to try them out: the flavor might entice you.
*Casual eating: Sometimes a chance discovery of a small shop on the street could provide a delightful surprise! Enjoy the spontaneity!Thank you to Hangzhou’s early summer landscapes, to the companionship of my dear friend Z, and to the 12306 app (China’s official railway booking platform) that helped me secure my train ticket home.
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What a lovely description! Is it far to bike from Yongfu Temple to Yanggong Causeway?
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I don't think it's very far, probably around half an hour.