Turns out, for several days I've been eating food from other regions. Today, I boldly tried Hangzhou's local dishes. Following recommendations, I ate at some of the highly-rated places around West Lake after a day of sightseeing. The first bite left me speechless... and I had to force myself through an entire day of this.

A friend recommended that the best food in Hangzhou is actually in convenience stores. That made me even more speechless. From now on, I won’t trust overly hyped online recommendations. #SpeechlessAfterFirstBite #EatingEverythingIsAHarm #IJustKeptEating #RegrettingNotSkippingIt #ActuallyNotThatGreat #TryingSomethingNew #HangzhouCuisine #EatNowCherishLater #JustKeptEating #RegretfulAfterFinishing

For foreign travelers: Hangzhou is famous for its natural beauty, especially West Lake, but when it comes to food, it’s not always as good as people say. Many restaurants use pre-prepared meals to speed up service, which can affect the taste. Also, due to rising rents, many small, authentic restaurants have disappeared or become too expensive.

I might have an unpopular opinion, but summer is meant to be hot! Hahaha, I actually love a summer where I'm drenched in sweat, so I've been happily sweating every day in Tainan. Looking forward to experiencing it in autumn or winter next time.

Skyscrapers mean nothing to me; I can't afford Gucci or Chanel anyway. The 'breath of life' from my childhood – the aroma of pan-fried pork buns and scallion pancakes – is gone, nowhere to be found.

This is a non-motorized vehicle lane, for bicycles and e-bikes.

Absolutely love the Shanghai-Shenzhen HSR!

I'll book a guesthouse next time I visit.

Can I go visit by myself?

They're all run like businesses.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section!

We locals are incredibly happy here.

I think so too.

Exactly! As a Beijinger, I absolutely love my hometown. The education, culture, entertainment, leisure, and healthcare are all top-notch.

I've got to tell you, when I first made it to Beijing, I realized that Southerners (who are used to a humid and warm climate and tend to prefer lighter flavors) might not find the adaptation so easy here.

• Weather and Environment:

  • One word: dry! The air is very dry. People who come from the South should drink more water and have body moisturizer and lip balm ready.
  • For the National Day Holiday in early October, the city was teeming with visitors, I mean people were everywhere!
  • The temperature difference between day and night is quite huge too. Although it still feels somewhat warm through the day, the night could instantly become chilly. Plan on bringing multiple layers of clothes.

• Food:

  • The taste preferences are quite different.
    • Luzhu: This snack features pork offal such as intestines and lungs, alongside soybean curd and flatbread which is stewed in a thick sauce. The flavor is rather intense, so some people may find it repulsive at first.
    • Zhajiangmian: It’s noodles topped with a sauce made from diced pork and fermented bean paste, typically with shredded cucumber and bean sprouts mixed in. The quality of the dish can vary widely from store to store. But apparently, the place called “Fangzuan Factory” makes a pretty good one.
    • Beef Pies: They’re everywhere, but Beijing isn’t famous for this dish and they’re nothing special.
    • Yogurt: The local yogurt sold in porcelain jars is pretty decent. You might want to give it a try for sure!

• Sights:

  • A lot of Beijing's attractions mainly focus on ancient architecture and historical relics, like the Forbidden City or Great Wall. These places should be delightful for people who enjoy historical and cultural aspects.

• ️ Reminder/Hazards Avoidance Guide:

  • Buying souvenirs:
    • Beware of items like "orange cakes" (made with oranges) or bottles and jars of sauces. Their prices are often unusually high and could be a rip-off.
    • Recommendation: It's best to search online if you decide to buy these kinds of products, usually their prices would be more reasonable.
  • Traveling during the National Day:
    • Issue: There were simply too many people at every attraction.
    • Recommendation: If possible, avoid this time frame. Should you choose to visit anyway, please book any popular attraction entrance tickets in advance and get prepared to queue for a long time.
  • Dry weather:
    • Issue: Dry weather will lead to discomfort in your skin, lips, throat.
    • Recommendation: Drink plenty of water! Always carry body moisturizers and lip balm.

• Heartfelt Recommendations:

  • I'd like to single out the restaurant called "Yue Zhen Ya Yuan"! (Note: I mean the barbecue next door, and not the fancy restaurant.)
  • Their sweet glutinous rice cake and double-skin milk pudding (a creamy, milky dessert loved by all) are absolutely delicious. I still miss them now!

Does any sister here know anything about the operations coordinator role at Envision?

I also think Nanjing's duck is absolutely fantastic – perfectly seasoned.

The Qianjiang New City Marriott's decor is a bit lacking.

Nanjing East Road, City God Temple... they're really close to me, but I haven't been in over ten years. It's all tourists, just shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.

What kind of caption/post is this?

So, where did you go?

You probably haven't been to Wuxi then. Suzhou might be more famous, but Wuxi boasts both exquisite gardens and majestic natural scenery—it's even more beautiful.