Today we spent a day touring Hangzhou, starting with a visit to the Temple and surrounding gardens and caverns. This area was developed and home to Buddhist monks as early as 300 A.D! The students were able to walk around the scenic area exploring beautiful statues carved into the caverns. Many also explored the surrounding gardens and the streams flowing beautifully throughout the grounds.
We then had lunch at the Green Tea (I think that's the right name), a restaurant located right on West Lake, one of the main attractions of the city. The lunch included many dishes, including chickeni that is buried in the ground (for flavor), a local favorite. Finally, we went to the National Silk Museum, where students were able to look at many ancient garbs, as well as visit the gift shop, which included a presentation on how to identify real vs. fake silk. As we were leaving, some students were able to catch part of a "silk" fashion show that was taking place right near the shop!
Tomorrow we head to Shanghai, but not without a bit of sadness as we leave this beautiful city- truly a hidden gem in China!
