Hangzhou Highlights

(Allison)

Last Wednesday, after our beloved cooking class (the chef taught us how to make rabbits out of eggs…) Rose’s sister Angela met me at the English Office to take me to her school. Angela teachers English at a middle school very close to Hanggao. Rose introduced us --we hopped on the bikes and we were off. Chatting and meandering along the road, we finally reached the school. After a quick tour, we walked up to her office – where I met two more English teachers – grabbed my computer and followed Angela quickly to her class.

I walked into the classroom and was greeted by an enthusiastic applause... Angela’s students are in their last year of middle school (a U.S. high school freshman). They are studying hard for their high school entrance exams. My visit gave them a nice break from their focused studies. The students were overwhelmingly enthusiastic and wonderful…asking me all sorts of questions.

I looked at the clock 3:58..oh no!  I told Derek that I would speak to his English club about American food at 4:00… I had to wrap up my speech and head back to Hanggao. Angela and I ran down the stairs and rode quickly back to Hanggao…I thanked her very much for giving me the opportunity to spend time at her school.

I ran up the stairs of the classroom building and down to English club… Derek was showing them a clip of Iron Chef. I had a minute to catch my breath…before presenting again.

After English Club, I met Helen… and we went shopping on the famous Hangzhou Silk Street…the street I have to ride down …to and from school. Helen is a very good shopper – and is very good at bargaining.. After I had made some purchases, Helen asked if I wanted to go to the night market….more shopping?..why of course! We both ran home (her apartment is in the building next to mine)… grabbed something to eat…and then hopped on our br bikes and rode down to the night market. The night market was very cool!  Helen bargained for a beautiful silver bracelet. I bought a bunch of earrings and some gifts…

Thursday we had Chinese and calligraphy in the morning but it was a little different because we were joined by the ten students visiting Hanggao from Georgia this week….. During calligraphy, my friend Xu Dao, the retired, 70 year old, English teacher who Lianna has blogged about…came to assist Yang lao shi. He taught at Hangzhou High School for over 40 years.. He is so kind and wonderful…and he is trying to help me with my Chinese pronunciation….

Wang Huo (an English teacher who came to DS a few years ago) invited me to have dinner with her and then to go to Hefang St.  Bruce and all of the host siblings had taken us there our first Friday night here in Hangzhou. After enjoying our dinner at the school, we hopped on a bus….and headed down to Hefang St. – a fantastic antique street with all sorts of tea, traditional medicine, silk, fans and other souvenirs shops. Wang Huo is also a very good bargainer! We met one of her friends..and we walked down the traditional snack street.. They have all sorts of things even fried scorpions…I decided to play it a bit safe and selected some sort of fried shrimp patty thing.. It started to rain heavily…so we seeked refuge at a Chinese snack restaurant…We enjoyed some warm soy milk…and then headed home…

Friday morning we had Hangzhou history and culture, and were once again joined by the students and teacher from Georgia… We all had lunch together…after lunch and I said farewell to Beth and Robert and wished them safe travels... they were headed back to Georgia. Bruce took me across the street to buy a second suitcase!  Bruce!! What would I do without Bruce?? I honestly do not know….he has been so wonderfful to us during our stay here in Hangzhou..

Friday night out with William!! Alex filled you in…Lou Wei Lou (excellent food) and the Impression West Lake (fantastic show)! I just want to reiterate what a nice time we had…so nice. Thank you William!

Saturday – Tea Museum! (see Alex’s description as well..hehehe)… Then we walked along the Yang Causeway….the west side of the west lake… so beautiful…the lake, the he weather…China!

The students went back to the school-- Rose and I decided to stay by the lake. We walked along the Bei Causeway…Rose asked me if I want to try a special Chinese dessert...powder of the lotus flower mixed with boiling water…and it turns into this delightful pink sticky substance… We sat on a bench and enjoyed our treat… We tried to get a taxi…but the city was so so busy….Rose realized that she had two cards that borrow the city bicycles (the city provides bikes to their citizens free of charge - similar to the programs they have started in the European cities…) We couldn't find any at first because the weather was so nice -- but then two people returned some right in front of us… We hopped on and headed home…

I decided to go back to the school to get my bike…(I had left it Friday afternoon…) and I ran into Derek at the gate! He had been looking for me…(remember I do not have a cell phone) and invited me to have pizza at his apartment with Susan…yeah!!

Sunday morning Helen took me to try on my silk dress...it came out great..but needed a few alterations...

After shopping with Helen, Susan met me and we rode back to her apartment to have lunch with Derek, his cousin, her boyfriend, and his parents. They were so nice.. His cousin and her boyfriend speak English very well.. Derek prepared quite an impressive spread...

Susan had to go back to work...she is teaching an open lesson this week...which means any teacher in the city is invited to come and observe her teach... she had to prepare her lesson and materials...

Derek and I decided to go to the Silk Museum... we could not get a taxi...so we took a bus... the Silk Museum is great. Then Derek remembered how I wanted to take a boat ride in the West Lake ... so we got off the bus on the south side of the lake - Nanshan Road ... a beautiful area of Hangzhou... the top art university in China is located along the road...there are many shops and nice restaurants ...We went out on the boat as the sun was setting! soooo nice! Then we walked along Nanshan Road...and traveled to one of Derek's favorite restaurants -- Mr. Chen's Noodle House..delicious... I was exhausted ...I went home and fell asleep right away...