Job Discussion Forums

[dan]

Hello all
I'd like to learn more about hangzhou (weather, food, points of interest, people, expat scene, etc) so if you have any info, id love to hear it. I'd also like to learn about some reputable places to teach. Thanks a lot!

[MyTurnNow]

Good choice!

Weather: Winters cold but not bitter. Be prepared for cold _indoors_, though...many buildings in the region are not heated well if at all, are poorly insulated, and drafty. Summers be stank- hot and muggy. Very pleasant if rather rainy Springs and Autumns.

Food: Famous throughout China. Somewhat similar to Shanghainese but considered better by many- less sweet and more robust. Hangzhou claims to be the origin of the fabulous Beggar's Chicken, but then so do many other cities. It has a good representation of other Chinese and Asian styles as well as some decent Western restaurants.

Points of Interest: Big one- West Lake and its surrounding scenery/architecture, considered one of the most beautful and romantic spots in China by the Chinese. Starting to commercialize even more- theme parks and megamalls moving in. There is the attendant circuit of gardens, temples, etc. Hangzhou is a major draw of both domestic and international tourism...at least when the country isn't being ravaged by a killer virus.

People: Chinese.
To my mind people in the Shanghai/Suzhou/Hangzhou/etc. areas seem to be getting a bit more fun out of life than the average rather drab Chinese existence.
Even by the incredible Chinese standards, Hangzhou seems to have more than its share of exquisitely lovely women. Oh my oh my oh my. Boffo. A good one.

Expat Scene: My experience is limited here but seems OK. Plenty of Westerners, mix of teachers and business/technical types. Why, they got bars and everything!
Like Suzhou, not too far away in Jiangsu Province, Hangzhou seems to have more foreign touches and goodies than other cities its size due to the large numbers of turistas and grossly overpaid business people.

Old Chinese saying: "In Heaven there is Paradise; on Earth there are Hangzhou and Suzhou." Works for me...you can find much, much worse places to live than either one of them.

Hangzhou is an important city for both tourism and industry. Finding web sites with lots of purty pitchers and more detailed info will be easy!

Enjoy,
MT

[Seth]

I live in Hangzhou, but only for about a month so far. Downtown Hangzhou isn't much to look at, but the area where all the bars and coffee shops are is quite nice. The women are indeed beautiful but now you can't see them because they're all wearing face masks. Hangzhou is in the grip of the SARS panic, and my school has told us not to go downtown.
I've only been to one bar that had any foreigners in it, and I thought it was rather strange. Kana's or something like that. Watching creepy old white men dance with young Chinese women isn't my thing.
At any rate, I'm pretty much stuck in my school for the next several weeks, so no Hangzhou for me. So far it seems very nice, a huge step up from Luoyang. There are certainly worse places to be.
MTN, are you in Hangzhou now as well?

[MyTurnNow]

Not in Hangzhou but within relatively easy striking distance...at least if the trains are running.

Don't worry...it always takes a little while to find the cooler stuff in any new city here.

I kind of like the surgical-mask look. Accentuates those beautiful almond eyes.

MT

[gerard]

May I offer a dissenting opinion??? I went to Hangzhou for a day and a half and found it nothing to write home about. Every minute in China I was being asked "Have you been to west lake???" as if it was the 7 wonders of the world wrapped into one. Well I went. It seemed to me a smog encircled swamp surrounded by overpriced cafes. The center of the city seemed OK but only average by Chinese standards. The women are pretty now that you mention it but Zhejiang province is known for beauties anyway. I guess you could do worse but I won't be sending my reume off to schools in that city any time soon. But a day isn't much so there may be hidden charms I didn't catch...

[MyTurnNow]

You are not alone in that opinion, Gerard. I know others who share it.
I liked Hangzhou but was a bit underwhelmed by West Lake. But it is the point of interest there, and it sure brings in the tourists! It remains a major legend among the Chinese.

I liked Suzhou MUCH better than Hangzhou. But compared to some postings one could draw- Zhengzhou, Shenyang, Shijiazhuang, Changchun, Lanzhou, and many more come to mind- both HangSu cities _are_ paradise. IMHO.

[Seth]

I wasn't that impressed with West Lake either. It was OK but was a letdown after the way it's hyped by every single Chinese who hears the word 'Hangzhou.' It's indeed a polluted swamp, not really a lake. But compared to other polluted swamps in China, it's nice. It's surrounded by willow trees, which is my favorite tree. My unofficial tour guide showed me some of the restaurants around the place, and one place had 'Starving fish' where they'd literally starve the fish before eating it.

Hangzhou city is overrated by the Chinese because of that proverb MT mentioned. I still think it's pleasant place, but again I lived in Luoyang for a year. South-central LA looks nice compared to Luoyang. Here it's very green with trees all over the place, lush forests abound. It's not quite as clean and developed like parts of Shanghai or Guangzhou, but nice. I'll be happy here once the SARS hype dies down a bit, if ever.