Hangzhou: Finally feels like China!

We have now traveled south to Hangzhou China. It was the weirdest flight I have ever been on. My ears kept popping non-stop when we took off. The turbulance was crazy. Luckily the flight was only an hour. On decent my ear would not pop. It started hurting soooo bad! I couldnt hear out of it. I started to get really scared! It still didnt pop. I used every trick in the book. Jared even suggested hopping up and down pounding my ear. He was joking but I did it anyway! I couldnt hear out of my left ear for the rest of the night! Luckily it is better today. It still hurts and gets pressure every once in awhile.

Hangzhou is a beautiful city. They say it is a "small town" of only 6 million people. It is the capital of the Province. We had some interesting lectures at the hotel and then traveled to the West Lake.

West Lake is such a beautiful place. The type of China I have been wanting to see. It was crowded because today was a national holiday, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the 2nd day for the national exam for high school students to be able to get into college. There is such a demand for education and too many students.

We went on a boat tour and traveled around the lake. It was sprinkling but the mist made the mountains and the Pagodas more magical.

It is interesting feeling and being a minority. People blatently stare at you for the longest time, I just smile back and say hello in Chinese but they rarely smile back.

We had some free time in the market in Hangzhou. It was so cool. Ten times better than the silk market. The prices are listed and the atmosphere was enchanting. Little shops with chopsticks and trinkets. I bought a beautiful handmade bag. There were wood carvers, painters, and musicians galore. The sights and smells made me feel like I was finally in a foreign country. I almost forgot I was in modern China until at the end of the road I saw the infamous yellow arches and was instantly returned to modern day. Mcdonalds, KFC, and even Dairy Queen had made its way into this old world market. Big macs and Ice Cream alongside, Crabs on a stick and Rice in Pineapple bowls.

After a quick stop at the covenience store we headed back to the hotel. The hotel is located on the Wenhui college campus. It is a beautiful hotel. a group of us gathered to get a local chinese foot massage. It was amazing! hot herbal soak and a heavenly foot massage along with legs and back for 48 chinese money which converts to about 7 dollars in the US. An hour and a half of massage for less than a movie! I walked home on a cloud.

Sadly we are leaving Hangzhou tomorrow and heading to Shanghai. I would love to stay and just wander the streets some more, but we are off again to a big city of 18 million people.

I have learned to be grateful for what I have and have seen a different culture but have learned to see that we are more similar than we think. Everyone I see, meet, or talk to just wants to be happy and make a living for themselves and their family. Everything else is gravy. Life is what you make it and what you get out of it.
I hope everyone sees and takes only the good! I Love you all!