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hello, hello,
(before i forget...it takes FOREVER to load photos up here, so to see the rest, go to www.flickr.com/photos/jilllucas)
Well my two weeks staying with my friend Gav, is almost up...and you might well ask, 'what do you think of Hangzhou?'...... It's really,really humid! hahahaha. About 80-90% to be specific, so it's really hard to get used to it. My hosts have been really welcoming to me and introducing me to all their friends (and introducing me to lots of alcohol too!!)
But i'm finding it really hard to get into a sleeping pattern (it didn't help that the first two nights that I was here, we went out to some restaurants and pubs and didn't get in till 5 & 7 am, so it was like going to bed at a normal time back in England!!) so I have hardly slept and the mosquitos have been eating me alive! I must be very tasty!!
They are absolutely mad over here, mainly i''m talking about the roads.... I can't take for granted that just because i'm walking over a zebra crossing, that cars will stop...OH NO, they keep on coming...left, right centre and all other directions! There are ALOT of cars and bikes on the road, making it very noisy and congested. (although some of the bikes are run on electricity, so they don't make a sound!) I think if I stayed here any longer, I think i'd get run over...seriously! Keep your fingers crossed for me guys!
I have visited the Taoguang temple and saw some monks chanting, which was quite cool. I can imagine getting into a little trance if i stayed there for a long time (and watching some people praying, as this is a pilgrimage place, is quite amusing because they hold about 50-100 incense sticks, set them alight and them continue to waft them in each direction (north, south, east and west) and God help anyone who happends to walk past and gets their clothing set alight! quite worrying!)
Also I have visited the Beautiful West Lake, The 'old' street (which is one proper old street, to which new 'old' street have been added)and bargained in Chinese to buy a necklace (yes more jewellery) at a night market, surrounded by mozzys!
So, the best thing...the spicy food. Really didn't expect it to be so spicy, but it's bloomin lovely (although seeing lots of meat and fish and things I have no idea what they are, being cooked on the street, made me kind of quesy, so not all the food is great!!)
and the worst thing..without a doubt, the toilets!!! Having to squat every time and be surrounded by quite a lot of filth is not really pleasant!
ooh, my little 'thing' for each place I visit will be to sample the apples and crisps! Those of you that know me well, know that i eat alot of apples and try not to eat a lot of crisps! hahahaha. So, Hangzhou.......Apples - not as crunchy as i'd like and the flavour is not tangy enough for me so maybe 6/10. As for the Crisps - I found an almost 'Pringle' like crisp (not that I like Pringles you understand) which are lighter and bubblier and, I have to say, bloomin tasty so i shall mark it 8/10....hehehehe
That's all for now folks.... next is Guilin and Beijing before I go to Thailand.
Missing everyone loads and i'm still nervous about being on my own!!!
Over and out for now
Jillxxxx
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