Hangzhou day 2

Woke up late today at 11 but felt great, opened the curtain to see the
hills and feel the breeze, amazing!
I got the bus into town and missed the stop we used last night, I
didn't recognise it in the day! I decided to walk and so set off in
the general direction of the lake in the 30+ degree heat and after
half an hour and an iced coffee I made it to the lake.
I got on a boat to the popular but unmisable island in the center of
the lake and gettin stares from people as a white person in china! The
boat ride was fun and I took many lovely photos before arriving on the
beautiful island.
The saying here goes "an island on a lake and a lake within an island"
and is a lucky place to visit. I loved it and took lots more photos. I
walked all around it a few times and found it had been created many
years ago while dredging the lake. I then got a boat to a different
spot on the lake and walked along a giant causeway back toward the
centre. I stopped off halfway in a cafe with a Chinese only menu, the
young guy there said a food was tasty and meat so I ordered it (much
to his disbelief) and it was slices of very tasty cold beef.
I found thebus route and came back to the hotel and wa pointe towards
the hill behind the house that I had wanted to climb. I headed
randomly as pointed and first found a touristy but deserted cable car
station that I decided was too wimpy before finding a path and heading
up! I climbed to the top of the 300m hill without stopping up stone
steps in around half an hour to find an untouristy Buddhist temple
that was shut but lovely late evening views of hungZhou west lake and
the area. On the way down (walking) I met A man on his way up, we got
chatting and he had lived in Bournemouth for 18years before returning
to china. We walked down together whilst talking and he explained he
is starting an international business teaching Chinese and cooking
with guildford university. We stopped by his office and saw his
fathers caligraphy and I said I would stop by tomorrow to see his
father doing it and talk about his idea! Lol he is friendly and so I
don't mind.
I chatted for a while with another guest in the hotel and ate some
fresh fruit....like really soft yellow lichie (or however it is
spelt!) possibly fresh ones instead of exported ones! I then headed
out to find some food, the resteraunt near the hotel looked good and
local but when I tried to eat there they said no sorry, I think scared
because they spoke no English! The one next door was posh an a little
expensive but was willing to try so I ate there, a fantastic and posh
chicken in sauce with a beer for a pricey £9. It made a nice treat.
I am now lying in bed being seranaded by someone nearby with a sax ad
a few local dogs while bats fly past the window.
Ready for a new day tomorrow!