My friend and I spent our last 3 nights traveling together in Hangzhou, a quieter town focused on the beautiful West Lake and nearby tea gardens- it’s a place where one goes to appreciate natural beauty.
We were staying in a very nice hostel in an absolutely beautiful area- historically inspired buildings kept in perfect condition lined each side of the road, right behind the little artificial stream with strategically placed greenery. It was an area full of cafes, noodle shops, stores of all types, restaurants galore. We were right off of the main shopping street, which had announcers at every shop door, and little carts placed in the middle selling cheap souvenirs and snacks for all the visitors. We took several walks in the afternoons and evenings just to enjoy the atmosphere and do some people watching. It was a pedestrian only area with cobblestone streets, just all in all a lovely place to spend some time.
The museum didn’t particularly stand out among the many history and art centered museums we had visited, but it was very pleasant and there were many beautiful things. It was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon, and relaxing was just what I needed.
We had movie night, packed up, and prepared ourselves for another day of travel, but this time back home for my friend and preparing to leave China for me.
We spent nearly all of our first day at West Lake, the sight Hangzhou is most famous for, and it did not disappoint. The gray sky did not make the lake any less beautiful, and we walked around the edge, often stopping along the edge and sitting on a bench to watch the little fish feed and in my case, to pull out my journal and spend some time writing. After an excursion to try and get a better view of the famous pagoda we decided to rent a little boat and go out on the water. This was the sight of the wedding-photo-ruining incident, and it was an absolute joy. We spent most of our time just floating in the center of the lake, enjoying the scenery, the company, and laughing at my ridiculous characters and their convictions.
We started out our second day by hopping on a bus to try and see a famous temple nearby to the main city, but unfortunately that plan was cut short. I almost fainted on the bus. It is an experience I am familiar with, but once that happens, the only real choice is to go back to your accommodation and rest up. I was feeling better by lunch time so we got some noodles (of course) and then headed to the nearby and low-impact museum.
I really enjoyed my time in China, and I definitely feel like it’d be a great destination for a more experienced (the language barrier is much more extreme than in most of Europe) super-budget traveler. Seriously, it would be so easy to travel on $20-30 a day here, and feel very comfortable and full. You can easily get a room in a hostel dorm for less than $10, and delicious bowls of noodles will only set you back about a $1.50.
And the noodles are delicious. I spent the two weeks very happily eating a diet of vegetable noodles, tomato and egg noodles, various garlicky or salty or soy sauce laden vegetables, and, of course, rice. As a picky eater, there were some deep problems. Everything seemed to be cooked in pork fat, and I don’t eat meat. The fact that I am an absolute wimp when it comes to spicy foods did not help my cause, but I still ate incredibly well.
I did feel a certain distance during this trip, not just between me and the people we were interacting with, which was heightened by the extreme language barrier, but also between me and the history, and the Chinese with their own country, their own lives even. Everyone just seemed to float through the system, no one standing out, no one getting angry. I certainly felt that I was getting the version of China I was most supposed to. Being in a language bubble can help you step outside and observe, but I felt like I was already completely outside of that place, outside of my understanding.
That feeling of distance is amplified by the feeling of other. It is not quite as obtuse as in India, where buses of people would stare at me, but we still got selfie requests, through my Chinese friend, just normal people asking for a picture of or with me. Children were particularly fascinated by me, but could be scared off, or simply made embarrassed, by a few funny faces or a wave. My hosts could not have been any more welcoming, any more kind, or any lovelier in any way, but there was this incredible block the entire time I was in the country because everyone I came into contact with knew I would never belong there.