West Lake

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I, knowing it would be the sunniest day of my visit, prodded myself out of the warm apartment and down to the very windy West Lake. West Lake is one of the most popular tourist sites in China and it was easy to see why. It's breathtaking.

I took the bus down to the lake area and started wandering with no real plan in mind. It's a big lake and I have all day. I probably won't see it all. At least, that's what the tell me. I finally started on the Bai Causeway heading east. It's the shorter of the two and the views were spectacular and the scenery beautiful. I can only imagine what it might look like in the warm seasons when everything is green and in bloom.

I then backtracked and walked south along the Su Causeway. Wade had said it was really long so I thought I'd do part of it and then maybe backtrack and see some of the gardens. The Su Causeway was also lined with trees and green grass. I never see grass in China. Again, the views were fantastic on both sides of the causeway. I went up and down little bridges, walked on windy paths, and took too many photos.

After a while I noticed the other shore getting fairly close. Already? I looked at a sign. I was almost to the carp pond? I had walked the whole way across the lake. I took some time to see the carp pond and the gardens surrounding it before heading east to see the pagoda tower. I opted to not go in or up because of the cost.

I kept walking and walking, with no idea how far I'd gone, the wind now blowing strongly in my face, chilling me. I walked through the former Song dynasty imperial gardens, admiring them while taking few photos--my hands were happier in my warm pockets. I finally made it to my goad: Costa Coffee. I hadn't had Costa since I was in London ten years ago. When I was there, I thought it was the best coffee I'd ever had. And it was once again.

I thawed out and plotted my plans for the next few days and tried to figure out how far I'd walked. I gave up on that after a while (the lake is round, after all, and I had no proper way to measure anything).

I went out to dinner with some new friends and then went to the Maya again for another night of laughs over good beer.

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Photos

West Lake
On the Bai Causeway

West Lake
The Su Causeway