West Lake in Hangzhou China

When I think about China, "enchanting" is not usually the first word that comes to mind. It is indisputable that the country has a rich history, but its rapid pace of development in recent years has really ruined the charm of most cities. Before visiting Hangzhou, everyone told me that the West Lake has retained the charm of old China. I don't know how a lake could be very exciting, but I was willing to keep an open mind. 

My hotel was directly across from West Lake, and when I arrived at 8PM, there was a large crowd watching a fountain show. Compared with fountains in Dubai and Vegas, this one was much smaller and the music sounded like Chinese opera. Excitement level was starting from the ground floor...

The first morning, I woke up early for a run around the lake. I didn't expect to find many other people awake before 7AM, which proves just how little I know about China. Before even leaving the hotel grounds, I noticed several people practicing tai chi. There was complete silence, no music and no counting...Just peaceful coordinated movements in sync with each other (well, almost in sync). 

Tai chi - with and without swords

Practicing tai chi in silence on an early morning

Nearby, I saw a man with a giant paintbrush in one hand and a small orange bucket of water in the other. I then looked down at the ground and noticed that he was painting Chinese symbols on the pavement. I have no idea if the characters were writing a message, but it was a beautiful form of art, nonetheless. He carefully drew on the ground, despite the fact that very few people were there to appreciate his work.

A man paints on the ground with water

I continued running, with the water on my left and the road winding alongside. Sheltering me were old trees that formed almost a canopy with their thick branches and oversize leaves. The gray brick buildings on the other side of the road reminded me a little of the French Concession in Shanghai, with a more colonial style than the typical Chinese architecture. There were no high-rise buildings dominating the lakefront view, which made me very happy.

The edge of the lake was dotted with lily pads, while a man rowing a small boat was picking the dying plants and placing them behind him. If I didn't look carefully, I may have even missed that he was a maintenance worker. 

A worker cleans up the lake on this early morning

The eastern side of the lake contained a lot of inlets, but there was a straight road cutting through for the traffic to pass easily. I ascended over occasional small bridges, which kept the running route even more exciting. The water views on both sides of me were quite nice, despite the onset of tour buses that began to roar past.

The southern edge of the lake was much more developed, and I found myself battling large tour groups that were already arriving to visit the famous Liuhe pagoda on the adjacent hill. There were even a few motorbikes racing towards me on the sidewalk, which I dodged as though I was part of a video game. (Since when did it become ok for people to ride their motorbikes on the sidewalk?)

The last section of the lake was probably the most spacious, with a large park and plenty of benches for people to sit and take in the scenery. 

Gates leading into a park on the southern edge of the lake

After returning to my hotel, I was amazed by how much activity I encountered on just a regular weekday morning. It's almost like I had walked into a movie set, filled with actors who were portraying a picturesque morning in historic China.

Throughout my week in Hangzhou, I found myself being inexplicably drawn to the lake. Some evenings, I went for a walk after work, enjoying a cup of tea (which Hangzhou is also famous for), and I even rented a paddle boat one afternoon. 

A small child blew bubbles across these lanterns sitting in the water

Enjoying some tea while the sun began to set

There was always a lot of activity, but it felt so much less chaotic than the crowds in Hong Kong or any other major city in China. One evening, I saw people dancing in a gazebo over the water. Every day, I noticed people practicing various styles of tai chi. It was obvious that the West Lake holds great appeal - even for locals. 

Dancing on the lake

A more relaxed and fluid form of tai chi

Ladies with swords as the morning sun shines brightly through the trees

Coming from someone who grew up next to a lake, I always appreciate how such a scenic landmark can bring a community together. I don't think I would necessarily spend days upon days just staring out over the water, but it was really nice to just relax in the peaceful surroundings before and after work. In an odd way, I felt right at home. 

View of West Lake from the front of my hotel

Mainz, Germany

My most recent project was in the small German city of Mainz.  If you haven’t heard of it, you are not alone.  The city is only about 40 minutes west of Frankfurt, but it is often overlooked because of its much smaller size.  Fortunately for me, Mainz has all the German charm that Frankfurt lacks.  It really is a fantastic place to soak up the crisp fall weather in a fairy-tale setting.

Seriously, could this place be any cuter?

For the first week of my project, I was working with three colleagues from Chicago.  Whenever I work with my American counterparts, this means we will be snacking all day long, catching up on news from the office, and eating our meals at some of the best and most unique restaurants we can find. 

I was pleasantly surprised by the dining options, which were much better than I would have expected from a small German city.   My favorite place was Citrus Restaurant, which had a really trendy atmosphere and good food without absurd prices.  If I lived in Mainz, I would be a Citrus regular.

Another restaurant I would recommend for the atmosphere alone is called Heilig Geist Restaurant.  It is actually in an old church that has been completely renovated.  Have you ever eaten venison with sour cherry sauce and dumplings in an old European church?  It's pretty much the best thing ever.  And, if this environment doesn't excite you, there is a Croatian restaurant called Konoba, which serves incredible seafood that will make you feel like you are on the coast.  At the end of the meal, they send a shot of honey-flavored liquor to the table which must be pretty nice in the winter. Actually, it's pretty nice any time.   

We also had the good fortune of being in town for Mainzer Winzer, which happens in early fall each year when something happens with the wine (I'm not sure if this is when the grapes are harvested, wine is barreled, bottled, or something else).  Wine producers set up kiosks around town and people stand around hollowed-out barrels to enjoy the excessively sweet wine.  The alcohol content is more similar to beer, but at only 4.50 per bottle, it’s hard to complain. 

Locals enjoying some wine...at 11AM on Saturday morning

For me, the most charming aspect of the town is that the central square hosts a different market every day of the week.  One day, carnival rides.  The next day, produce market.  Every day, wine and brats.  We are still in Germany, after all...  

Huge fruit market one morning.

Anyone want some fresh eggs?

Produce vendors interact with customers

The cathedral was the centerpiece of the town and I was intrigued by its unique design because it has altars in both the front and the back.  It’s almost like the architects could not decide where the priest should stand, so they created two options and put the main entrance along the side.  (I tried looking up more information about this but it turns out no one documented a clear rationale 1000 years ago when the cathedral was built).  By the way, I'm not exaggerating about the age of this cathedral - it really was built in the 900's.  

View of the incredibly old Mainz cathedral

My hotel is located along the river, which made for some really nice morning running, not to mention relaxing views from the room.  I also love hotels that incorporate modern designs into historic buildings and this hotel has turned an old fort into the bar area.  The rooms are located in a much newer adjacent building, but it's nice to be in Europe and actually feel the history all around you.  

Here's a view of my hotel, including the gates from Fort Malakoff

At first, I was not so excited to spend three weeks in a German town that I had never heard of.  However, it ended up being an ideal place to enjoy autumn in Europe.  Mainz doesn't have many tourist attractions to visit but the city is so full of life that it is absolutely worth a visit.