The last time I went to Hangzhou was probably around 10 years ago, and to refresh my memory, we decided to go there again.
During my last trip, the high-speed rail had not been built yet, so we opted to try this mode of transportation. But first, we had to battle the crowds of people to get our bags x-rayed (at least 3 queues merging into one in no order at all, unless pushing your way aggressively through is considered order) ...
Above is a snapshot of the very modern and huge train station at Hong Qiao. Below is a shot of the very modern high-speed train ...
... that travels at super high speed of 305 km/h ...
When we arrived at the Hangzhou train station, we were met by our driver who we had engaged in advance as we heard that the queues for taxis were incredibly long. He took us to the Shangri-La, which was conveniently located right next to the West Lake ...
West Lake is a pretty huge lake. Depending on the part of the lake and the time of the week, it can be pretty tranquil and calming ... a green oasis, compared to the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle that is Shanghai.
We rented some bikes to explore the lake but found that on a weekend, it was near impossible to cycle anywhere fast ... crowds of people on foot and on these buggies filled the lanes. I soon learnt that one needed serious cycling skills to keep the bike moving while avoiding running over anyone or getting hit by one of these buggies that were blaring music to make people move aside so they could get through ... that aspect certainly wasn't calming ... or tranquil ...
Some other scenic spots around the lake ... (we didn't go to the usual touristy spots as we had already done that during our previous visit many years ago) ...
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