Day 1 - Hangzhou

Savoring milk pudding in the sweltering heat as we nagivated through the unfamiliar weaves of bicycles, motorcycles, cars, buses and human traffic. Where things do not work the same way and people do not act the same way. Great food and ambience at Wai Po Jia. 25RMB to ride tandem-bike around the famous Xi Hu the whole afternoon. Thinking to myself that I should really learn how to cycle. Warm summer breeze in the face and in the hair, the misty lake on both side, trees reaching their branches out sweeping their leaves on passer-bys. Ringing the bell and yelling for the people in front to watch out for the carelessly careening bike coming. Riding next to the scarily big buses, hoping neither the bus nor the bike will accidentally infringe on each other's path. Bird's eye view of Hangzhou from Lei Feng Tat, city on one side and mountains on three others. Impressed by the bicycle system set up to easily allow the Chinese to rent bicycles from anywhere and return them anywhere. Simple appreciation of the great invention called air-conditioning. Racing up the many bridges across the dams of Xi Hu, overtaking the golf carts that chaffeured tired sweaty visitors. Musical fountain, majestic and magical. Bliss of the familiar mango pomelo dessert from honeymoon dessert. Sweating bullets, realizing diet plans will have to wait, enjoying the moment. Watching Yue Fei Miao from the outside, short of time short of motivation to explore short of desire to pay RMB25. Sinfully deliciously fatty dongpo meat, refreshingly tasty longjing tea - Lou Wai Lou at Bai Ti. Striking interesting conversations with the local taxi drivers, with the new travel companions, with myself =).