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Published: April 30th 2012
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Qianwang Temple
They were trying to moon us I think. Wednesday, we participated in the International Day sponosored by the local government. There were 7 large tourist buses for Foreign guests to enjoy the sites around Hangzhou. We had an amazing time at the events we attended and even met a few new cool people that live here in Hangzhou.
The day started at Qianwang Temple on West Lake with a display of many Chinese traditions and an "Official Opening Ceremony" with speeches from many high leveled government employees. The emcee was an American professor who teaches at Zhejiang University and is fluent in Chinese, he spoke in Chinese while the Chinese man translated it to English. Quite strange but that is very "China". All of the speeches given by the Party Members were in Chinese and translated to English for all 210 foreign guests (that was us) to understand.
After the Opening Ceremony, our bus #6 went to Hefang Jie (street). The street had been cleared out of traffic and tourists as this was a BIG event. We had a Chinese Tour Guide and a translator for the morning tour. We had been in the area many of times but never knew all the
facts about the street and stores. Sorry, Laura and Laurence now we know it isn't just "Old Shit" oh well next time.
Then for lunch we had an AMAZING spread of Sichuan cuisine, our favorite in China. We ate with a Romanian who was a Senior at Coventry University in England on a exchange program for 2.5 weeks in Hangzhou, a Russian couple who the husband was teaching French Linguistics at Zhejiang University (Zhe Da), an American from Aloha, OR who is an International Relations Grad Student at Zhe Da, a Russian girl who was fluent in Chinese not sure her job, an American born Chinese now living in England and a student from Latvia who didn't talk much. We had lived the longest in China at our table at a combined 2.5 years. It was fun to talk about everyones experience and life in China.
After lunch, they took us to a "Traditional Chinese Community" aka normal mid rise housing in the middle of Hangzhou. This is when Pete and I skipped out on the tour and headed to the International Clinic for the 3rd visit for Pete's nose and throat issues he
has been having since India. He demanded the strongest antiboitic which he finally got after some "discussion" with the Chinese Doctor.
Next, we headed home for about 90 minutes of relaxing before heading to Teramok, a Russian restaurant, to celebrate Galyna's birthday. She is from Ukraine and is fluent in Ukrainian, Russian, German and English and knows a little French also. Her son drove down from Shanghai, he has lived in China for 4 years now with his wife and brought his friends little girl with him. This was our first time meeting him as he works many hours between 3 English teaching jobs.
The birthday celebration truly went along with the International Day theme as there were Ukrainians, Irish, Americans, Taiwanese and Chinese at the party. We counted the number of languages spoken at the table and it was EIGHT!! Pete and I tried some Russian food and some of it was good and others I have no need to eat again...like the cow tongue YUCK! We also learned of a Ukrainian tradition of blowing a wish into the champagne bottle, putting the top back on and then breaking the bottle when you
get home...your wish is to come true once the bottle is broken. I might try this next time I have a mimosa on my birthday.
Lastly, we headed back to the tour for the nightly performance of
Westlake Impression directed by Zhang Yimou, famous for directing the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening & Closing Ceremonies. The show was amazing and even cooler that it was FREE!
We had a great day touring around Hangzhou on the Chinese Government's RMB.
* I hope you can see a glimpse of Chinese culture through the 38 photos and 5 videos.
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International tour
I would have enjoyed that day! Neat to see costumes and cultures and everything! Did you miss out on much when you had to go to hospital? Neat day and for free is right!