Hello from Hangzhou, China. Interesting city. The downtown driving in is just another big city but once you hit the WEST LAKE area there are gardens all around the beautiful lake with green hills in the background. We are staying at the Hyatt a really nice hotel looking over the lake.

Our first day we checked out hotels and restaurants (what we do when we travel) and had a great meal of Norwegian Salmon at the Shangri La Hotel that is right where the famous show "Impressions of West Lake" took place. What a show. Extremely well done and it appears the actors are walking on water, as they splash the water with their feet as they walk.

I thought I never wanted to see another temple but we visited a temple here with Bhuda's carved into the mountain side, beautiful grounds and not so many steps to see the Bhuda's in their temple. Really a nice experience.

We went to the tea plantations absolutely stunning scenery. We went to the typical tourist tea planation where all the tourists go. Our guide said the farmers are now allowed to open up their homes for tea houses. I wanted to know if it was possible to visit a farmers house even though this normally has to be pre-arranged. So our guide took us to visit a friend of hers that has changed part of his house into a tea house. When we arrived the whole house was under construction as his son is getting married and the newly weds will live in his home. He was so nice and took us through showing his bedrooms and the entire house to us. He is building a huge deck area with gorgeous views to attract more guests to his house for tea. His house is dead smack in the middle of his tea planation and all the ladies picking the tea were coming in for lunch in their sampan hats. Just stunning scenery. Getting there was fascinating too, this was the real China not the tourist version. Chickens, dogs, please sitting out eating and talking, bit of garbage around of course. Great photography moments.

We visited Old Town specifically to visit a herbal medicine shop. A pharmacy with prescriptions from doctors and over the counter medicines as well. This was really fascinating too.

Been a great stay and really enjoyed this stop but you do have to stay in the West Lake area. We had one nice day but today it was drizzling and cold. Not good for Ken's pictures but he will try and post some if they turned out okay.

Tomorrow we take a high speed train to Shanghai and fly onto Chendu to see the new Panda sanctuary. The old one we visited before was destroyed in the earthquake.

Be back later.

Ngaire