Hangzhou's West Lake

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Hangzhou's West Lake

I gotta tell you I wasn't expecting much when I was told I would be cruising around Hangzhou's West Lake. I've seen lakes before, in fact I grew up on a lake, so expectations were very low. I'm proud to say I was wrong. West Lake was a lot of fun. It is a destination that every single Chinese person wants to see in their lifetime and the reason is not for the water, or boats, or the fishing (which is not allowed), it is for the legends surrounding the lake. The area is filled with dozens of ancient legends about romance some are quite bizarre, including one about an ancient white snake who turns herself into a woman and falls in love with a human. So, what I thought was just going to be a cruise around a lake turned out to be a tour of some of China's most famous legends. Each legend has a spot where it is supposed to have happened and as we passed each one my guide pointed it out and told me the legend. It really brought the area to life. Now I wished I had more time to have strolled around the bank and visit all of the different places. The lake has three islands which we visited. Each island is covered with trees and bamboo groves and there are pavilions hidden in them to sit and enjoy the scenery of the lake. The largest island is actually a thin ring of earth covered with trees with water in the middle. You could say the island has its own lake. In the middle of the island's lake is a pavilion with tradition Chinese zig zagging bridges leading to it. It was quite a surprise. I've never seen anything like it. If you zoom in on the satellite map on this blog and look at the largest island in it, you can see the island I'm talking about. The cruise lasted for quite a while with the visits to the islands. I learned a lot about Chinese culture, and legends. I wrote them down, so when my daughter is older I can tell them to her.

Ticket Price:
15-50rmb Cruise Prices vary depending on company used.
Time Needed:
1-3 hours depending on if the islands are visited
Hours of Operation:
Cruises begin at 9:00 in the morning.
Evening cruises run from 6:30-9:00
Location:
Hangzhou

In September 2008 I was sent on an inspection tour with China Odyssey Tours. I am the Marketing Manager of China Odyssey Tours. No one is told that I work for the company, and since I am a foreigner I can experience a tour the way our customers do. That way I get the real experience without any VIP treatment. I check on the sites, hotels, restaurants, and guides to ensure that they all meet our rigid quality guidelines.

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