WHY HANGHZOU?

The answer is simple: we currently live here (2017 to 2019). We came here fro work work. It wasn't an easy decision. It would be more natural for a Hungarian to move to Europe or even America, but things didn't go as planned. And didn't make things easy for us.

THE LITTLE ONE AND THE GIANT

Before we moved here (in 2017), we knew that China is a huge country and that Hangzhouis a city with a population of around 10 million. As someone who grew up in a small country, it's difficult to comprehend just how big that is, especially if you don't live here. Here are some interesting facts of Hangzhou, China's fourth largest city (currently).

WEST LAKE

Every city has at least one "must see" place that you have to visit. West Lake is one of the most essential tourist attraction you have to discover when you come to Hangzhou

WEST LAKE - SU CAUSEWAY

The Su causeway connects the northern shore of West Lake with the southern shore on the western side of the lake. It is 2.979 km long, 40-50 m wide, and crosses the lake via six stone bridges. It was named after Su Dongpo, who was the governor of Hangzhou during the Song Dynasty and also a renowned poet of his time.

GRAND THEATER - LIGHT SHOW

There are several evening light shows in Hangzhou, the most recent of which was created for the 2016 G20 conference, and the most famous of which is the West Lake light show. There is also a great water and light show in front of the Grand Theater in the new city center of Qianjiang.

HEFANG STREET

Hefang Street and the Qinghefang district are important tourist destinations in Hangzhou. Hefang Street was already a commercial hub during the Southern Song Dynasty.

FLOWER AND ANIMAL MARKET

Wushan Square and the Flower and Animal Market are located near Hefang Street, a popular tourist attraction in Hangzhou. I hope that people who love flowers will read this post.

WEST LAKE - THREE POOLS MIRRORING

One of the most popular tourist attractions at West Lake is "Three Pools Mirroring the Moon," located on the lake's largest island, Xiaoyingzhou. It gets its name from the three pagodas standing 62 meters apart in the water, forming a triangle. This image can also be found on the 1 yuan note.

WEST LAKE - FLOWER POND

"Viewing fish at flower pond" or "Viewing fish at flower pool" is one of the 10 outstanding attractions of West Lake. For me, this place is like all the sights here in Hangzhou; it reminds me of hunting for Easter eggs; you find one and another one pops up. This is not just a pond with red carp, but a themed area covering approximately 20 hectares.

CITY GOD PAVILON

The City God Pavilion (Chenghuang Pavilion) is one of Hangzhou's most iconic buildings. It is located on Wu Mountain, close to West Lake and Hefang Street. There are several ways to reach the pavilion, including a path through the forest with stops for relaxation

YUNQI, BAMBOO LINED PATH

After sunny and warm Vietnam, we returned to cool and rainy China. The level of air pollution and rainy weather did not give us much opportunity to get out into the fresh air over the past 1-2 weeks. On one of the "healthier" weekends (which currently means an air pollution level of 170), we visited the bamboo forest in Yunqi Village, actually located in Hangzhou. Over the years, the area has become one of the 10 most notable attractions of West Lake.

LIUHE (SIX HARMONIES) PAGODA

The Six Harmonies Pagoda, also known as Liuhe Pagoda, is an octagonal building. It stands on Yuelun Hill and is considered one of the three most famous pagodas in Hangzhou.

LONGJING TEA FIELDS

This day began like every other day without plans: where should we go? Not too far, because we got up late. We chose Longjing village because it is relatively close to Hangzhou. Longjing, or dragon well tea, is one of China's best tea and also the gem of Hangzhou.

XIANG HU

By chance, we discovered another beautiful place near Hangzhou, Xianghu Lake. Xianghu Lake is located about 20 km from downtown Hangzhou and is easily accessible by car and subway.

BAOCHU PAGODA

Baochu Pagoda stands on Baoshi Hill and is also known as the Jewel Pagoda. It is located opposite Leifeng Pagoda, but while the latter is compared to an old monk, Baochu Pagoda is said to resemble a young beauty. The building was built during the Northern Song Dynasty.

HANGZHOU IN WINTER

It's winter, although according to the Chinese calendar, spring is slowly approaching. The first sign of this is that the trees are slowly, shyly, but surely bursting into bloom. Their hesitation is understandable, as two weeks ago it was 16°C, while this week it SNOWED! Snowfall is not very common around here. Some say it was 13 years ago, others say it was about three years ago that we last had this much snow.

EIFFEL TOWER IN CHINA

Let's be honest, this isn't why we're going to love Hangzhou. It's hard to put into words how we felt when we saw the Eiffel Tower. At first, we were delighted to see European architectural features. Then came the shock.

XIXI WETLAND

The total area of wetlands, marshes, and swamps in China is 38.4 hectares, making it the largest in Asia and the fourth largest in the world (2017). Of this, the Xixi area covers 11.5 km2. The history of the park dates back to the Han and Jin dynasties. The area was shaped by agricultural activity about 1,000 years ago and consists of basins, water channels, freshwater lakes, marshlands and rivers.

NINE CREEKS

The "Nine creeks" is one of Hangzhou's tourist attractions. More than nine streams and brooks meet and flow through natural reservoirs into the Qiantang River, but this fact did not justify the name change. In my personal opinion, the place is not bad, but it is easy to find more beautiful places than this.

ALIBABA IN HANGZHOU

I have always loved science fiction, and readers with similar interests are slowly seeing the things described in these books come to life. A brave new world awaits us (?) - as Huxley so aptly depicted. The books and stories I read as a child have taken on new meaning here in China. Everyone knows Ali Baba from their childhood, and as adults, many of you have heard of the Chinese Ali Baba.

LEIFENG PAGODA

The Leifeng Pagoda stands proudly on the shore of West Lake. If you ask locals for directions, tell them to look for the pagoda with the escalator. The building’s history tells the story of the love between a white snake and a mortal man.

THE BAOPU TAOIST TEMPLE 

The Baopu Taoist Temple lies hidden away on Geling Mountain, which surrounds West Lake. Few people know about it, and neither the guidebooks on Hangzhou nor organized tours often bring tourists here. Taoism is associated with the Chinese philosopher Laozi, whom many believe was not even a real person.

THE QIANTANG RIVER

The river and the city are inseparable; together, they form a single whole. Just as the Danube is to Budapest, the Qiantang River is one of Hangzhou’s natural gems. It is an important trade route; its fish stocks provide a daily livelihood for many families; it hosts several internationally renowned running races; and its banks are the perfect place for sightseeing, running, and biking.

THE LINGYIN TEMPLE

After moving to China, in the 40°C July heat, the Lingyin Temple was the first sight we visited in the city. It was here that we first glimpsed another side of this noisy, bustling society that seems to live for appearances. I’ve returned there several times since then, in different seasons, and its atmosphere still captivates me.

THE LINGSHUN TEMPLE

Hangzhou is one of the cities in China where traces of Buddhism are clearly visible. Located next to the Lingyin Temple - a site of national significance - at the summit of North Peak (Bei Gao Feng), 314 meters above sea level, stands a smaller temple with a history dating back 1,600 years: the Lingshun Temple.

A TRIP TO LONGWU VILLAGE

At the end of March, the harvest of the famous Dragon Well or Longjing tea began again. Another major tea-producing area in the Hangzhou region is located near the village of Longwu, about 15 km from the city center. Thanks to the absence of tourist crowds, the village is much more orderly, quieter, and more peaceful than its well-known “sister” village.