our daily routine

As part of our plan to get fitter and not fatter we have been getting up at 6.30 and using the exercise equipment in the public park next to our unit.  We have been walking about 5 ks a day as well. ( im over it already ) anyhow it must be working because the scales at walmart say ive lost 5 kilos !!!   ok, so i know that cant be true and the scales are prob  not correct but hey , i`m celebrating already  ( eating icecream and cake as i write this )

More photos of parks close to our apartment .

local folk religious festival

We were lucky to be at home on Sunday night ( aug 28th)  where we were able to see a local folk religious festival in play. Many of the older residences in our apartment block  along with their grandchildren had placed many hundreds of candles and incence at the opening to the apartment . After much discussion in my almost non existing Chinese and equally poor english from our hosts , we determined that this only happens once a year on this day.  The set up small shrines and prayed to the God of Earth to take care of their children in the coming year. Many locals we asked nearby  did not know of this festival or is origins , so perhaps it was only for the people that lived here. Maybe their is some significance for them ,.. Some research needs to be done  when my Chinese improves. 

Uni registration

Registration day at uni today, no-one knew where to go or what to do, so glad we have been here before. Arrived early ( 8.30)   only 3 japanese students in front of me. One hour later I have a new student card only to walk out of registration office to see 20 students waiting  ( probably for 3-4 hours  hahaahha)

                                        Christine keeps taking photos when im not looking  !!!!!

After registration we went to the local police station to register our housing details  ( compulsary in China)   this onlt took 10 minutes so we continued walking to the Botanical gardens - probably  only 45 minutes from our apartment..

"our" new apartment

We took posession of our new apartment   ( sounds so much better than  "flat" ) last night   , and moved in today. we were so lucky to get this one , having spoken to Teresa  ( Lu min) from teresa`s cafe earlier this year she sucessfully negotiated with the landlord and found someone was moving out on saturday morning. we quickly accepted and signed a lease that day.  A quick walk to Walmart for shopping saw us come out with one overloaded trolley  and many 100`s of RMB  less in our pockets.

This photo shows the outside of our apartment block  , were on the fifth floor, front corner unit.  ONLY  50 metres from Zhejiang uni gate !!!!

The view from the front balcony shows how close we are to  Zhejiang University >>

You can really only have one colour bed covers in China   ... China Red !!!

It follows the colour scheme in the kitchen  and looks so bright !!

Apartment and employment

Only been here since Wednesday and today apartment and job. Not bad going for oldies struggling with Chinese. So many obliging chinese people make life easier.

settling in at Zhejiang University

Arrived safely in Hanghzou on Tuesday night , after staying 1 night at a hotel close to airport ( no english speakers ) we made our way to Yuquan campus the next morning . We have booked into campus here while we search for an apartment close by. Things look good so far and hope  to post pictures soon.
 The weather has been kind to us not too hot, drizzly and warm could be worse. The food here is great sooooo much to choose from and very, very cheap $4 for main and drink for both.

 . We are negotiating for an apartment right now with an interpeter from the local cafe (teresa)..Chris has not even seen the apartment yet. we  have just paid the deposit. I hope waynes taste is good. ,. Of course it is he is married to  me. haha. Should move in on the weekend. the timing could'nt be more perfect., It is across the road from the Uni, very lucky which starts on 1st Sept.. Walmart here we come.. This afternoon I am  meeting a lady from an englich school for part time work. Looking forward to that interview going my way. We are doing heaps of walking we should be able to get fttter and thinner on exercise and rice..  We will keep you posted

Hangzhou

Hangzhou, the capital city of East China's Zhejiang Province, and one of the seven capitals (the others being Van, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Anyang, Beijing, and Nanjing) in ancient China, is endowed with irritable charm and vigour as an ideal destination for tourists from home and overseas. Located at the southern end of the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal 180 kilometres south of Shanghai. The city is the political, economic, cultural, and scientific research centre of this coastal province in East China. With a long history and a wealth of cultural relics, the city is a communications hub in East China. Besides railways, expressways and international airports, the Grand Canal and Qiantang River can connect the city with other parts of the world.

With a history of more than 2, 200 years, Hangzhou is one of the cradles of China's civilization. Hangzhou used to be the capital of Wu and Yue kingdoms in the 10th century during the Five Dynasties period. It developed rapidly in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) to become the nation's cultural, economic and political centre in the Southern Song Dynasty ( 1127-1279 ). In the Yuan Dynasty ( 1279-1368), Marco Polo ( 1254-1324, Venetian traveller to the court of Kublai Khan) described it as the most graceful city in the world.

The City of Hangzhou is divided into six districts, five cities and two counties. It encompasses 16,847 square kilometres with a population of 6.16 million. Its major industries include textiles, machinery, metallurgy, chemicals, electronics, and food.

Hangzhou is one of the top 10 tourist attractions in China. It is famous for its surrounding hills and numerous beautiful scenic spots, especially the West Lake. Other tourist attractions include Pagoda of Six Harmonies, Soul's Retreat Temple, The Peak That Flew Here, Hangzhou Oriental Culture Park, the Newly-Built Leifeng Pagoda, Fuchun River, Xin'an River, the "Thousand-Island Lake," the rarely seen tide of the Qiantang River,
and Tianmu Mountain.