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Hover over the green Chinese Pinyin and a brief definition will pop up; click on the word to see it's Glossary definition. |
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wordschapter fourteen @ 2004 Januarynew west lake - south lineThe first phase of the re-design of the West Lake area was the southern side of the lake. A beautiful area with a tree-lined street (Nan Shan Lu-South Mountain Rd.), I was dubious of the plan when they shut down the whole area, erected tall, blue corrugated fencing to shield the public from viewing the work. I wasn't sure how they could make the area any more beautiful. But they succeeded. When the "New South Line" opened in October, 2002, it was a smashing success. They even uncovered some of the beautiful, but previously hidden Shanghai-style, turn-of-the century homes, now reconverted into coffee houses, boutiques and art galleries.Later, in May of 2003, a new area along the southern shore - Xin Xihu Tiandi (New Westlake Paradise on Earth) opened. Built and managed by the same group that oversees Shanghai's famous Tiandi, the area is a peaceful, relaxing way to kill an afternoon. It has a few upscale places including Va Bene (an Italian restaurant out of Hong Kong), Pao (a Japanese bakery which makes the best bread in Hangzhou), and even a Starbucks and Haägen Dazs. (In China, Starbucks and Haägen Dazs qualify as upscale.)
And here are some scenes from Xin Tiandi:
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