April 7-10, 2013:
We returned to Sybil and Brian’s apartment in Shanghai from Beijing and then Nancy and I went on to Hangzhou alone.
Sybil and Brian’s Apartment in Shanghai:
Spring has come!
Sybil and Brian’s Apartment – Shanghai
“Brunch on the Bund”, Shanghai:
We had a very nice meal overlooking “The Bund” in Shanghai.
“Brunch on the Bund” in Shanghai
Impression Night Water Show in Hangzhou:
Our first night in Hangzhou, we watched a colorful water show in Hangzhou.
Impression Night Water Show in Hangzhou
Fellai Feng (The Peak that Flew Here) Buddha Caves, Hangzhou:
The caves of this mountain shelter about 330 stone statues dating from the 10th to the 14th centuries. The statues appear in a variety of poses ranging from standing, to sitting, to sleeping.
Fellai Feng (The Peak that Flew Here) Buddha Caves
Lingyin Si Temple, Hangzhou:
Lingyin Temple is a prominent Chan Buddhist temple near Hangzhou that is renowned for its many pagodas and grottos. Its name is commonly and literally translated into English as Temple of the Soul’s Retreat.
Lingyin Si Temple
Hangzhou Yongfu Monastery:
Built in a Jiangnan garden architectural style which is characterized by large courtyards, Yongfu Temple is praised as Hangzhou’s most beautiful temple for its perfect combination of Buddhist culture and nature. The courtyards loom in the forest mist and propel the sacred Buddhist statues into the spotlight.
Hangzhou Yongfu Monastery
West Lake, Hongzhou:
West Lake is a freshwater lake in Hangzhou, China. It is divided into five sections by three causeways. There are numerous temples, pagodas, gardens, and natural/artificial islands within the lake.
West Lake, Hongzhou
Solitary Island (Hill), West Lake, Hangzhou:
Solitary Hill, otherwise known as Solitary Island, is another highlight for Hangzhou visitors. It is so named because it’s surrounded by water on all sides, standing solitarily in West Lake. With Bai Causeway on its east, Xiling Bridge on its west, the Outer West Lake on its south, and the Inner West Lake on its north, Solitary Hill is the largest natural island in West Lake.
Solitary Island (Hill), West Lake
Xiaoying Island, West Lake, Hangzhou:
Xiao Ying Zhou Island is an artificial island created in the middle of West Lake.
Xiaoying Island, West Lake
Flower Blossoms of Hangzhou:
April is a wonderful month to visit Hangzhou…
Flower Blossoms of Hangzhou
Flowers of Hangzhou:
Pretty flower blossoms and pretty flowers…
Flowers of Hangzhou
Little Secret Café, Hangzhou:
Great pizza, lasagna and beer in Hangzhou, China…
Little Secret Café
This concludes our tour of Hangzhou. We returned to Shanghai and continued our China travels with Sybil, Bryson, and Carina.