Friends!

Had a great time today, even though all my plans for the day were dashed. Ended up spending the whole day and night with my roommates and one of their friends. First brunch at the China Art Academy's canteen (cheapest, biggest meals ever! and quite edible too), the to the Nine somesomething which is a small waterfall with a pool at the bottom. On the way back from there we stopped by Shi Feng Shan's LongJing village for free tea at the villgers' houses but ended up buying a bit of very expensive (but very fragrant) LongJing Tea. It's apparently the top grade of the 5 different kinds of LongJing Tea (from different villages/areas). Had a nice chat w the family. the kid was very cute, as I have found most babies and kids here to be. Well behaved too. Then to a place selling pearls. From XiHu. freshwater. Some special discount period, plus the sales person thought we were students so we got a huge discount =P then to the silk products selling place, where at least we are assured of getting real silk. I got a small silk scarf/big hankie to replace the scarf I lost. So, it was a say of shopping of the 3 products that Hangzhou is famous for... plus very good company =)

In the evening we went for the music fountain on the NE of Xihu. Nice. And as one of my companions said, like a cleansing of the heart (sounds better when she says it in mandarin). Then dinner and a slow walk back to the hostel, marked by much giggling and laughter and trying to climb into the ferries and getting chased by the guards and taking photos of flowers at night (by and large unsuccessful) and getting scared by a beggar woman silently approaching us and suddenly grabbing our arms just as we were crossing a bridge and talking about grave and cremation and death... and then of course I missed my uni hostel friend, who I stood up by not appearing for dinner and getting back too late for drinks =P

So that's a very happy day. It's not often that one meets complete strangers who just seem to hit it off so well (we were all lone travellers/students). Unfortunately they are leaving tomorrow, both for their hometowns in different provinces, so I'll be alone again, enjoying a different side of Hangzhou I guess =)