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Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang Province. It is located along the banks of the Qiantang River, at the southern end of the Beijing Hangzhou Grand Canal. It is one of the most important tourism cities in China, famous for its natural beauty and historical and cultural heritages. It is the political, economic and cultural center of the Zhejiang province as well.
Hangzhou's most famous scenic sight. Technically, there are "10 Scenes of the West Lake" and "10 New Scenes," but they are overrated, and often seasonal (Snowfall Over Broken Bridge, etc). Rather than make a checklist and walking back and forth looking for them, simply spend a clear day wandering the circumference of the lake and the causeways, take a ferry to the islands, and you will probably cover most of the sites anyway.
The "West Lake Scenic Area" itself is very large. This section only covers areas in the immediate vicinity of the lake. Other spots are covered in later sections: Lesser Yingzhou Isle (Three Pools Mirroring the Moon), Mid-Lake Pavilion, Lord Ruan's Mound, Hubin #X Park, Su Causeway, Bai Causeway, Solidary Hill And Zhongshan Park, Yang Causeway, King Qian's Memorial and Wushan Square.
Hangzhou is one of the premier places to eat in China, and its food consists more of pork and seafood rather than the beef and lamb of the north and west. If you do not like Hangzhou food, you can find plenty of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Xinjiang restaurants throughout the city. Typical Hangzhou specialties include dongpo rou, an extremely fatty chunk of pork in a syrupy sauce, and cuyu, which is fish with a vinegar sauce.
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