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China 2015, Day 2: Hangzhou

After my night out in Shanghai, having arrived almost 24 hours late, I was ready to begin my first full day in China.  It was also time for my first day trip.  I took the subway out to the western part of the city to Shanghai’s ultra-modern station for high-speed trains.  Let me tell you, China’s main train stations are like airline terminals.  And this one takes the cake, as it’s the largest train station in Asia.  As with all high-speed trains I rode in China, the train cruised along at about 180 miles per hour.  (This was the same speed as the Maglev train I took from the airport on Day 1.)  At about 10 a.m., I arrived in Hangzhou (pronounced “hung-joe”) (formerly known as Hangchow).

Architecture with traditional elements along the Grand Canal, Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Architecture with traditional elements along the Grand Canal.

The Grand Canal

At times in the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries, Hangzhou was the largest city in the world.  Today it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in China because of the extremely scenic West Lake.  But my first stop was the Grand Canal.  The Grand Canal, the world’s longest artificial river, runs for 1,100 miles from Beijing in the north to Hangzhou in the south.  Construction began in the 5th century and was finally completed about 1,000 years later.  It was greatly improved in the 10th century when the Chinese invented the canal lock.  The primary purpose of the Grand Canal was to ship grain grown in southern China to the imperial capital in northern China and armies stationed on the northern frontier.  There was no way I was not going to take a ride on the Grand Canal.  After taking the subway from the train station, I hopped a water bus to the Gongchenqiao (Gongchen Bridge).

The Gongchen Bridge was originally built by the Ming Dynasty in the 17th century. It collapsed and then was rebuilt by the Qing Dynasty in the 18 century. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
The Gongchen Bridge was originally built by the Ming Dynasty in the 17th century.  After collapsing a few decades later, it was rebuilt by the Qing Dynasty in the 18th century.
Getting ready to go up and over the Gongchenqiao.
Getting ready to go up and over the Gongchenqiao.
After getting off the water bus at Gongchenqiao (see the white boat in the picture), I walked along both sides of the Grand Canal. On the west side there is a lovely area with reproduced traditional architecture housing shops and a number of museums. Grand Canal, Hangzhou, China, Asia.
After getting off the water bus at Gongchenqiao (see the white boat in the picture), I walked along both sides of the Grand Canal. On the west side there is a lovely area with reproduced traditional architecture housing shops and a number of museums.
Viewing the Grand Canal from the Gongchen Bridge. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Viewing the Grand Canal from the Gongchen Bridge.
One more view of the historic Gongchenqiao. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
One more view of the historic Gongchenqiao.
Beautiful willows along the Grand Canal. The Chinese do willows right. Not surprisingly, weeping willows were first cultivated in China. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Beautiful willows along the Grand Canal. The Chinese do willows right. Not surprisingly, weeping willows were first cultivated in China.
Decoration under a bridge over the Grand Canal. It sure looks like an emperor to me. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Decoration under a bridge over the Grand Canal. It sure looks like an emperor to me.

West Lake

After my round trip on the Grand Canal was done, it was time to hop the subway for a few stops and begin the tour of my main destination of the day, West Lake.  West Lake is a UNESCO world heritage site.  It was here that my misery began.  The weather wasn’t too bad when I arrived in Hangzhou in the morning, but it rained (and rained and rained) for the remainder of Day 2.  It really prevented me from enjoying West Lake.  Before long, I was tired and chafed.  And miserable.  Trying to take pictures while dealing with an umbrella was a pain.  I wondered whether I was finally getting too old for this and whether it was all worth it.  But I soldiered on.

This is what greeted me when I arrived at West Lake. Bombs away! Hangzhou, China, Asia.
This is what greeted me when I arrived at West Lake. Bombs away!
Here's something a little more scenic. A West Lake sightseeing boat. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Here’s something a little more scenic. A West Lake sightseeing boat.
Looking across West Lake through the mist to Baochu Pagoda atop Precious Stone Hill. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Looking across West Lake through the mist to Baochu Pagoda atop Precious Stone Hill.
Confucius and his students, near the northeast corner of West Lake. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Confucius and his students, near the northeast corner of West Lake.
West Lake floaters. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
West Lake floaters.
Broken Bridge, leading to Bai Causeway. West Lake, Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Broken Bridge, leading to Bai Causeway.
Another view towards Baochu Pagoda. By this point, you can probably get a sense of how beautiful West Lake would be in better weather. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Another view towards Baochu Pagoda. By this point, you can probably get a sense of how beautiful West Lake would be in better weather.
Eastern Lakeside Bridge on Su Causeway. West Lake, Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Eastern Lakeside Bridge on Su Causeway.
A wet walk along Su Causeway. Su Causeway is a wet 1 1/2 miles long. West Lake, Hangzhou, China, Asia.
A wet walk along Su Causeway. Su Causeway is a wet 1 1/2 miles long.
Looking over from Su Causeway to Lesser Paradise Island. At right, one of the "Three Pools Mirroring the Moon" is visible. During a full moon, these 3 mini-pagodas in the water are lit from within with candles. West Lake, Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Looking over from Su Causeway to Lesser Paradise Island. At right, one of the “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon” is visible. During a full moon, these 3 mini-pagodas in the water are lit from within with candles.
Before reaching the end of Su Causeway, I cut through beautiful Huagang Park, a wooded area of West Lake. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Before reaching the end of Su Causeway, I cut through beautiful Huagang Park, a wooded area of West Lake.

Lingyin Temple

After reaching the road on the far side of Huagang Park, I caught the bus to Lingyin Temple, one of the largest Buddhist temples in China.  My original plan was to return to West Lake from Lingyin Temple, catch a boat to Lesser Paradise Island,  and get a close-up view of Three Pools Mirroring the Moon.  But by that time I was just done.  The weather beat me.  Fortunately, I thoroughly enjoyed Lingyin Temple.

Just as interesting as Lingyin Temple itself are the carved structures and artwork located along the adjacent Feilai Feng (Peak Flown From Afar). A 4th-century Indian monk thought that the hill looked more Indian than Chinese, so it must have flown in from India. Hence its name. Lingyin Temple, Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Just as interesting as Lingyin Temple itself are the carved structures and artwork located along the adjacent Feilai Feng (Peak Flown From Afar). A 4th-century Indian monk thought that the hill looked more Indian than Chinese, so it must have flown in from India. Hence its name.
A grotto Buddha watches over a small cascade running down Feilai Feng. Lingyin Temple, Hangzhou, China, Asia.
A grotto Buddha watches over a small cascade running down Feilai Feng.
The Feilai Feng grottoes were carved from the 10th to the 14th centuries. So some of them are over 1,000 years old. Lingyin Temple, Hangzhou, China, Asia.
The Feilai Feng grottoes were carved from the 10th to the 14th centuries. So some of them are over 1,000 years old.
Everybody loves Laughing Buddha! Lingyin Temple, Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Everybody loves Laughing Buddha!
A dazzling gold Buddha in one of the halls of Lingyin Temple. I came to learn that a temple is not a single building, such as a church, mosque, or synagogue. It's a whole complex. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
A dazzling gold Buddha in one of the halls of Lingyin Temple. I came to learn that a temple is not a single building, such as a church, mosque, or synagogue. It’s a whole complex.
Oy! Each hall of Lingyin Temple is further of a steep hill from the last one. One more thing I learned about Chinese attractions was that they tend to nickel-and-dime you. I had to pay to enter the Lingyin Temple/Feilai Feng complex, and then I had to pay again to enter Lingyin Temple. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Oy! Each hall of Lingyin Temple is further of a steep hill from the last one. One more thing I learned about Chinese attractions was that they tend to nickel-and-dime you (or fen-and-jiao you, as the case may be). I had to pay to enter the Lingyin Temple/Feilai Feng complex, and then I had to pay again to enter Lingyin Temple.
2 of the 3 sages in Huayan Hall, near the top of the Lingyin Temple complex. Hangzhou, China, Asia.
2 of the 3 sages in Huayan Hall, near the top of the Lingyin Temple complex.

Time for an adventure in Hangzhou!

Visiting Lingyin Temple and the adjacent Feilai Feng area somewhat salvaged the day for me.  The carved grottoes were particularly unique.  Now it was time to head back to the city.  It seemed that I just missed the last bus that would have taken me back to West Lake.  Even if I was ready to give up on West Lake, the bus would have taken me to the Hangzhou’s central train station.  From there, I could catch the subway back to Hangzhou’s east station, departure point for high-speed trains back to Shanghai.  With my intended bus having departed, it was time to get creative.

Many people were lining up for another bus line that had frequent departures.  I figured it had to go back to the center of Hangzhou and likely the central train station.  I mangled the Chinese language when I asked a driver if the bus was going to the central station.  I was saying it “hang-joo” instead of “hung-joe”.  Some passengers figured out what I was asking and let the driver know.  Seeming to have found my way, I boarded the bus.  All along, I was assuming that the central train station would be the last stop.  I don’t know why I assumed that.

Because Chinese transit is so efficient, the bus route was posted on the bus.  All in Chinese characters, of course.  Some of the bus stops on the route had symbols next to them, which I figured had to indicate subway stops.  But how to know what stop I was at?  I realized I could, with some degree of difficultly, match the characters on the posted route with the displayed LED characters indicating what stop we were approaching.  So I got off the bus at a stop where there should also be a subway stop.  But no subway to be found.  So what else could I do?

I got back on the next bus and took it to the last stop.  It had to be the central station, right?  I got off on the last stop.  No train station to be found.  This despite the fact that the sign at the bus stop had the Chinese words for “train station” printed in our western Latin alphabet.  (To this day, I don’t know what the point was of spelling out the Chinese words in the Latin alphabet.)  Thoughts of doubt about my whole travel philosophy began to fill my head.  I clearly was looking totally lost and without hope because a Chinese woman approached me and asked if I was looking for the train station.  I only knew this because she used the same Chinese words for “train station” that were on the sign.  She indicated that she was also going to the station and she would show me the way.  Isn’t international travel the greatest!  (I had been right about the symbol for subway.  Nonetheless, I couldn’t find the subway at the earlier stop, just like I couldn’t find the train station on my own at this stop.  But as I was starting to learn, the Chinese people are here to help!)

Hangzhou East Railway Station. Your flight will be departing shortly. I mean, do these train stations look like airports or what! Hangzhou, China, Asia.
Hangzhou East Railway Station. Your flight will be departing shortly. I mean, do these train stations look like airports or what!

As miserable as I was on Day 2, when I look back on these pictures, it looks like it was a pretty good day after all!

[Factual information is primarily gathered from Wikipedia, so you know it must be true.]

Related posts:

The ancient Grand Canal, Hangzhou, China, Asia.China, A Little History, Part 1 China 2015, Day 6: Beijing, Day 1, Part 1 China, A Little History, Part 6 China 2015, Day 7: Beijing, Day 2

Comments

  1. Ray says

    I was going to say the same thing (RE: your photos make it seem like you salvage what would otherwise be a wet, dreary day in Hangzhou). Interesting to hear that a temple is the entire complex and not just one building. I wasn’t aware of that, either. And holy crap! You weren’t kidding about the train stations looking like airport terminals. Makes you wonder what actual airport terminals look like in China!!

    Reply

    • Billy says

      Yeah, I was miserable, but the pictures came out pretty good. And that’s what matters most! It’s going to happen again tomorrow. I’ve got a sightseeing day in San Francisco, and it’s going to rain. I’ll do my best not to be miserable this time.

      Reply

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