Not only is Hangzhou (pronounced “Han-Joe”) extremely popular with both Chinese tourists and Westerners but it is also the country’s most famous tourist attraction (along with Guilin) for the Chinese. Less than 2 hours by bullet train from Shanghai, a favorite and easy accessible weekend destination for them. Hangzhou was linked with the Grand Canal in 610 AD and Marco Polo passed this way in the 13th century leaving raves behind. The Mongols, Taipings and Cultural Revolution managed to destory most of the city and almost everything remaining has been reconstructed.

Met at the Hangzhou airport by new guide, Mao Mao (pronounced: Mao-mah) and transfered to the Victorian Regal Hotel within walking distance of everything. Newly married Mao Mao has only been guiding for a short time and loves it (not burned out yet). Showed us her wedding pictures and told us that bride and groom traditionally pose for formal portraits six-months before the wedding. The Victorian Regal Hotel has only been opened for four months and is still getting the kinks out. However, it is drop-dead gorgeous with a wonderful staff. They showed us to a third floor room with its own little deck area to sit out on. …View image…

… Not that we had the time and/or inclination to sit outside in the very hot and humid weather without wilting… But we could see the Ching Huang Pavilion, also called “Heavenly Wind at Wushan Hall” lit up a night.

Ching Huang Pavilion at night in Hangzhou, China

Dropped everything and set off for the three-block walk to Hefang Street, dodging cars and buses in this city of 7.8 million people. I expected Hangzhou to be a low-rise resort town on a lake, not this city, twice the size of Chicago. There is also a huge Carrefour (a French hyper-market chains) that closely resembles Wal-Mart. This is where you want to go to buy groceries, and/or bottles of water (40 cents each) instead of at the tourists spots. Remember, you can’t drink the tap water in China.

Hangzhou map, China
Hefang Street seemed to be the May Day (three-day holiday) destination for everyone who headed out of Shanghai. Busy? How does one describe the upwards of 260,000 people crammed into a six-block street full of art hawkers, candy makers…

Dragon mustache candy — similar to peanut brittle in Hangzhou, China 

making candy on Hefang Street in Hangzhou
…the Pan Yong Tai Cotton shop…View image… caricaturists…old fashioned movie players…storytellers…entertainers…

Hangzhou street entertainer, China
… teahouses…small eateries…statues…View image…

playing on a statue lining Hefang Street in Hangzhou, China
…several McDonald’s and Haagen Dazs? It was almost impossible to walk without being swept along. Definitely impossible to shop…View image. Wall-to-wall people crammed into the stores without an inch of space. Definitely, an unexpected experience.

Up the entire length on one side and back down on the other, we came across the local food street with people practically sitting on each other, eating and ordering. It wasn’t until two days later when the holiday was over that we realized every food stall had a sign describing what they were selling with a little story about the food in English!

crowds enjoying the food in Hangzhou, China 

skewered “meat” on Food Street in Hangzhou, China
Don’t miss this local food street in Hangzhou…