Side trips around Hangzhou

We went back to Hangzhou for the 2nd and 3rd times within 2 weeks because we fell in love with this beautiful city. We did some side trips around Hangzhou :

Shaoxing - the ancient city that first started making the chinese rice wine and the smelly tofu. There are two beautiful gardens in Shoaxing worth seeing - Orchid Pavilion and Sheng Garden

Moganshan/Mogan Hill - There is a legendary story behind it. There were a Chinese married couple that were very skillful sword smith, devoted their lives to make 2 best swords for the emperor in the 5BC. The couple jumped into the melting pot because they believed by melting the metal and their fresh and blood will help to make the best sword. We saw the casting pool or sword pond and water fall where the couple would sit and polish the sword.

Although it was a challenge to walk up and down the hill just to see that pool and water fall. You too need to pay some money to go up to the hill..

Suzhou - People said Suzhou is also one of the heaven on earth with it beautiful gardens. In my opinion, Suzhou is still nothing to compare to Hangzhou. They collect entrance fee for each garden!

Zhou Zhuang - An Oriental Venice town. One of the water township in China. We were a little disappointed because it is nothing like Venice. OK, there is one water channel but it is so polluted. The locals ripped you off even in a restaurant. We had the most expensive lunch here the entire trip in China. The town is dirty...and yes, you have to pay CNY100 to enter this town. Guys! Do you need to pay "entrance fee" to see Venice? The Chinese will never forgo an opportunity to collect money from tourists.