Hangzhou & Wuxi

Buffet breakfast at the hotel was simply scrumptious. We ate the local dumplings in soups and tried the noodles and fried rice. We had the local deserts and also local broths. Fruits such as melons and honeydew were common.

In the morning, Seow Wen left us at the Haining China Leather City Mall. The entire mall was dedicated to all things leather - leather bags, leather jackets, leather souvenirs, leather shoes. At the lower ground floor the bags were affordable but as we went higher up we were shocked to find the fur-lined leather jackets were selling at RMB100k!

The other thing we found puzzling about China toilets in an expansive mall like this was that they were all mainly squatting toilets and dimly lighted! In fact of the toilets in other places featured only the steel longkangs!

After the free and easy shopping we were taken to the North Peak mountains and up to a temple (we did not go in). Apparently the point is the highest point in West Lake accessible only by cable car seating 6 people at a time. The view of the green landscape below us while on the cable car was stunning.

After a sumptuous buffet lunch at a revolving restaurant in Hangzhou (giant crab claws, fish with figs, different kinds of nutritious soups, barbecue fish, Beijing duck, barbecue meats, herbal teas, traditional Chinese deserts and many more) we then visited the Long Jing Tea Village for a taste of Hangzhou's famous Long Jing Tea. 

"No discount" was the oft-quoted phrase of the tour guide because this was apparently a government funded industry and prices were fixed. We were taken into a room and heard the virtues of AAA green tea extolled to us. The price? A cool RM600 for the best quality green tea! Nevertheless some of our tour mates asked for freebies which were also given!

The accommodation at Wuxi was the Scholars Hotel (a classical hotel) with books as our bedside companion.