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Sometimes you need a break from Shanghai life; from the eternal honks and rumbles of cars, the bustling streets, the monolithic concrete jungle. Hangzhou is an escape from this. 40 minutes west of Shanghai on the G-train from Shanghai Railway Station, Hangzhou was all that was promised and more, though my initial impression of the sprawling city dotted with solemn buildings and commercial hubs was less than favourable. My friends and I wanted a reprise from city life, not a miniature Shanghai. Discouraged, but still eager to make the most of this trip, we boarded a taxi and asked to be taken to West Lake, a journey that took us from the cold, blank walls of highrises to streets framed by trees and humble buildings constructed from wood and stone that perfectly complimented their lush surroundings. The further from the station we were the greener the roads became, the denser the forest.
Dropped off at the entrance to the Liuhe Pagoda, I was met with wall to wall vegetation, the excited chatter of tourists, fresh air and a new outlook. From then on my trip consisted of senseless, aimless wandering through the West Lake reserve and its numerous attractions; at times wedged between frantic group tours and school children on busier pathways before finding ourselves completely alone on some forgotten trail, sheathed by canopies, bamboo and the gentle susurrus of the nearby lake. Despite the popularity of Hangzhou and its scenic surroundings, The West Lake Cultural Landscape covers an area of 8,210 acres and has numerous hidden attractions for one to visit, making it easy to escape the crowds hoarding around the Liuhe Pagoda, Jingci Temple or The West Lake Museum. Our mistake was assuming that we could visit all these places in one trip to Hangzhou.
After indulging our touristic impulse with a soothing one-maned boat ride around the lake, we began our frivolous wanders in earnist, stumbling upon Yue Wang Temple, the Dragon Well Tea Plantation, Galloping Tiger Spring and the Tomb of Wusong, and saved the breathtaking views of West Lake from the peak of Lingyin Temple for last. My personal favourites however, were the Ten Scenes of West Lake: scenes that have been chosen for capturing the quintessential beauty of West Lake. I did not find all ten, and at the time couldn’t have told you the names of the ones I did happen upon; but I knew them when I saw them. Lined with Osmanthus, peach blossoms, lotus and tulips, with Mallards and halcyons weaving between the trees, the Ten are what the Romantics could only dream of; perfect, natural enclosures marked by their small ponds and occasional oriental shrines or statue. However, the Ten are not exclusively these kinds of garden vistas, as the sight of Tianmu Mountain peaking behind the clouds has also warranted its inclusion to the list.
The West Lake Landscape is dotted with various restaurants and eateries, nevertheless, the majority of them are enterable by reservation only and open after 4:30. As this was the case I made do with an ice-cream from one of the countless vendors littered about the park until we made our way back onto the main road adjacent to West Lake, which houses a collection of affordable, local diners where one might purchase dim sum and some noodles. Preferring to whet our appetites with a more substantial list of food, my companions and I dined at a Cantonese restaurant nestled quaintly between an Aston Martin and Maserati shop. Despite its grandiose location, the food was inexpensive but quickly prepared and happily received by us ravenous travelers. When we finished our meal it was almost time to board the 8:00pm train back to Shanghai and cabbed back to the deceptively plain veneer of Hangzhou’s inner city.
We agreed that West Lake was the ultimate solution for those jaded with the cityscape, and felt that a day meandering through the forest and gardens were sufficient to rid us of this fatigue, but a weekend would be better. For anyone looking for a change of pace, a change of scenery and a reprise from the hustle and bustle of city life, Hangzhou is an unomissable destination.
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