Eric's Beijing Diary

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Hangzhou International Youth Hostel. Well, Marco Polo was right. Hangzhou really is a pretty place. Actually, Hangzhou as it is today probably doesn't bear much resemblance to the Hangzhou he saw, but West Lake is still here. The area around West Lake is one of the nicest park areas in China. Problem is, the secret's out. There are lots and lots of people in this place. Part of that, to be sure, is because of the holiday; I think it would be quite a bit more livable during an ordinary week.

The large boat tour is 45 RMB, which isn't too bad, but if I had it to do over again, I think I would take the small boat tour (80 RMB), because you have more flexibility. When I got to the last location on the large boat tour, I asked them how to get to the boat that goes back to the starting point. You know what they said? "Have a nice walk." So the deal is, they put you on a boat, drop you off in the middle of nowhere, and tell you to walk back. It's all pretty disorganized. But I didn't complain too much, because the afternoon was very pretty, and the walk around the lake was pleasant, if tiring. But if you aren't up to lots and lots of walking, you might want to consider hiring a small boat; they will take you wherever you want to go.