It’s been a while, but all of a sudden the programme needed for accessing blocked websites stopped working.

So there’s quite a bit to tell. First of all, Hangzhou was really good. We arrived semi-late on the Friday and went for a late supper with some of my hostmum’s friends. They were really kind buying me beer and such. We then arrived at our hotel, where I had my own room, with a massive bed and a bathroom with glass walls. Many things came to my mind when I saw that room, but I better not write them down.

Anyway, I had a great sleep, where I was having this weird dream about being Bones and solving a murder, when the phone rang at 4, and woke me up. Some drunken Chinese man who obviously got the wrong room number. Needless to say that I didn’t solve the murder in my dream! Buhu.

Next morning Elisa’s friends picked me and Michelle up at the hotel and we went to West Lake, which is pretty much what Hangzhou is famous for. It was so beautiful. Even though it was overcast, the water of the big lake was circled by shaded green hills with pagodas popping up from between the trees. It was so beautiful. I really loved it. We sailed out to an island which had traditional Chinese pagodas and little huts or whatever they are. This is the real China and definitely more cultural than Shenzhen. Having said that, if I didn’t know that this was Hangzhou, I would easily have figured that it was one of the places I visited last year on our roundtrip in China. Everything is really similar. I experienced this the next day too, when we went to Wuzhen. I was convinced that I had been there before until Elisa told me that this was in the other direction of Shanghai than where we had been. Again, the houses, the atmosphere, everything is so similar to each other.

In the afternoon on our first real day in Hangzhou we visited a little town which has been made for tourist to revive the time of the Song dynasty. Now this was something else. Even though most of the “remains” were clearly recreated, it was very interesting to walk around surrounded by so much history. We watched a show, which again was incredible. The Chinese can really put on a show. At one point rain actually started pouring down on the stage, of course intentionally. At the end of the show an elegant Chinese woman handed me a cup of tea special for their region. Ah, you have to love these aspects of China.

Another thing I got to experience and which is an experience I will never forget is a traditional Chinese dinner with friends. There was me, Michelle and Elisa, Elisa’s friend with her son, three of Elisa’s male friends and the wife of one of them. We had a private room where we all sat and ate and drank. Every other minute (if not every minute) someone would shout “gambei” (cheers) and point his or her glass towards someone. Then you drink, and you are expected to finish your drink. Being the foreigner and cheerfully drinking beer, I was targeted by everyone.

I love how they get together and have such a great time. It would have been even better if I could have participated in their conversation.

Monday, our last day in Hangzhou, we went to watch some wave which was really big on that particular day. I don’t really know why it was so special, but it was pretty boring. Maybe if I knew what I was looking at it would have been more interesting. There was heaps of people there, though, pushing and crowding from both sides. There are so many Chinese, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.

After having visited a small café where we had our own little room and drank tea and ate rice, we drove to the airport and that was Hangzhou. It was very nice to get away from Shenzhen. Shenzhen is a very young city, only 30 years old, so culturally speaking there really isn’t much here, which is why it was great to go to Hangzhou.

But back to reality, Tuesday morning I sat out for Chinese lessons, which are now twice a week. I enjoy going to lessons, because it makes me feel like I have a life. I actually have somewhere I need to be. It makes me feel a little important too.

The next day I spent with Harika, going for breakfast and then shopping at Dongmen. This is one thing I have definitely missed while backpacking. Not the shopping bit, but spending time with friends, going out to eat and just chilling. True that when you backpack every day is just about chilling, but it’s a different kind of chilling. Anyway, what I want to say is that I really enjoyed Wednesday with Harika! Especially buying cheap stuff that probably won’t last long. Except for my earrings, I really love my new earrings!

This weekend has been rather uneventful to say the least. Other than going to the movies in the evening we didn’t do anything. So I finished off the last season of Bones, which left me with a smile on my face, craving for the next season!

And that’s all there is from here.