The Glittering West Lake

On the second day of extension in Hangzhou, we head to the southeastern shore, where several parks line up. This requires a longer metro ride with several transfers, and for those who want to experience the subway in Hangzhou at full capacity, just follow our lead: choose a warm, sunny Sunday and spend this day alongside the many residents of Hangzhou. Having encountered one half of the twelve-million metropolis's population in the Botanical Garden, now the other half awaits us at the West Lake. However, the crowd disperses quickly in the park areas, and the pleasant stroll through the greenery helps me understand this influx. It's a relaxing place to let the late autumn sun shine on your face. In a small cove, a golden buffalo shines in the water, as the West Lake has been known since antiquity as the Golden Buffalo Lake. According to legend from the Han Dynasty, a golden buffalo lay on the bottom of the lake. Whenever the lake dried up, the buffalo would surface and spit water until the lake was full again. To gain the emperor's favor, local officials attempted to capture the golden buffalo and ordered the lake's water to be drained with waterwheels. As the lake dried up, the buffalo surfaced as expected. The officials tried to seize the buffalo, but it roared so fiercely and produced so much water that the officials quickly drowned. Since then, the West Lake has never dried up again, and the buffalo has not appeared again, at least not until it became a golden artwork in this cove. Meanwhile, rapid open sightseeing minibuses often appear on the waterfront, driving away pedestrians with a loud melody instead of braking; see the video via this link: Walk at West Lake. A man is preparing his drone, which soon disappears over the lake at a decent speed. Large and small excursion boats sail by us. The Leifeng Pagoda now presents a beautiful backlight motif, and yes, I see the sun glittering on the West Lake... Mission accomplished.