2013 Kunshan Trip - Excursion to West Lake, Hangzhou (西湖游记) Part 4

Location: Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang Province (浙江省), China

Full experience of my visit to West Lake can be accessed through the list below.

Excursion to West Lake, Hangzhou (西湖游记) Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 5 | Final

Being a tourist spot most visited by locals and tourists alike, it wasn't easy to find a quiet spot in West Lake, but they do exist. There would be moments when a break appeared between the riot of crowds or a spot which was missed by the mass. It was at those times where I understood how this lake enthralled and inspired poets and artists of the past. The tranquillity was unmistakable.

Longing

I personally love this photo. I may not take the best of photos, but capturing the lady waiting for something while looking slightly forlorn across the lake was a powerful image.

2013 Kunshan Trip - Excursion to West Lake, Hangzhou (西湖游记) Part 3

Location: Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang Province (浙江省), China

Full experience of my visit to West Lake can be accessed through the list below.

Excursion to West Lake, Hangzhou (西湖游记) Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Final

The lush green scenery was nothing compared to the view of the lake. We did not see the lake until we walked past an arch signifying one of the entrance, and since the body of water was hidden from view, the moment it appeared it packed a punch to the mind, overloading it with pleasant sensations.

Lines of boats awaiting customers. These vessels will take passengers out on a tour of the lake on water and at a faster speed than on foot. To me it was a killjoy if one could not enjoy the scene by wandering around, relying instead on the captain's choice of path. But then again, to each his own path.

2013 Kunshan Trip - Excursion to West Lake, Hangzhou (西湖游记) Part 2

Location: Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang Province (浙江省), China

Full experience of my visit to West Lake can be accessed through the list below.

Excursion to West Lake, Hangzhou (西湖游记) Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Final

West Lake of Hangzhou is, of course, known for the lakeside scenery. With most of China's famous scenic areas exacting an entry fee, be it a park or an old town, it was refreshing to know that no gates barred our entry to the lakeside. The whole area was a huge park, allowing anyone to enjoy the scenery while taking a stroll.

When I took a stroll around West Lake, I enjoyed not only the scenic lakeside but also mesmerizing Chinese architectures of the nearby buildings.

2013 Kunshan Trip - Excursion to West Lake, Hangzhou (西湖游记) Part 1

Location: Hangzhou (杭州), Zhejiang Province (浙江省), China

Full experience of my visit to West Lake can be accessed through the list below.

Excursion to West Lake, Hangzhou (西湖游记) Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Final

I had been putting off from preparing a post on my trip to China in 2013's first quarter, but I couldn't get past myself for leaving such a nice experience from being shared, especially when the scene of Hangzhou's famous West Lake is still vividly imprinted in my mind.

It was a gruelling 2 hours plus drive from Kunshan to West Lake, passing various landscapes and countrysides of China, uneventful to its max. This in turn made the arrival much more exciting, both from the relief I felt from being able to stretch my legs and from the anticipation of visiting one of the most famous lake in China, one which inspired generations of poets and painters.

Lavender? Maybe not. But these purple flowers does make a nice scenery on the way to West lake.

2014 Germany Trip - Würzburg Cathedral (Würzburger Dom)

Location: Würzburg, Germany

German: Dom is German for cathedral; a cathedral is a church which a Bishop chose as his seat of authority, otherwise it is no different from a church and is not reflected fully in its architecture

Itinerary and full experience of my visit to Germany can be accessed through the link below:

List of all 2014 Germany Trip | All Würzburg attractions

In hindsight I should have visited this cathedral, but at that moment the Neumünster Church was right next to it, and having confused which was which, I entered the church instead of the cathedral. As a consolation, I took some exterior shots of the Würzburg Cathedral even though its interior was a total miss.

The entrance of the Würzburg Cathedral. The famous façade of the cathedral misled me to the assumption that this was a modern church, leading to me missing it totally. If one were to stand at the Old Bridge of Würzburg, you could stare straight down the street with an unblocked view of this façade.

2014 Germany Trip - Marienkapelle and Falkenhaus @ Würzburg

Location: Würzburg, Germany

Full experience of my visit to Würzburg can be accessed through the list below.

2014 Germany Trip - Würzburg | Stift Haug | Würzburg Residenz | Court Garden | Würzburg Cathedral (Würzburger Dom) | Würzburg's Old Main Bridge (Alte Mainbrücke) | Neumünster Church (Kolegiatstift Neumünster) | Marienberg Fortress (Festung Marienberg)

More about Germany can be read through the list below:

Willkomen in Deutschland! | EU, Schengen and Euro | German Turn and Tilt Window 

There is more than one reason why I loved Würzburg. There was the UNESCO Heritage listed Würzburg Residenz, and there was the magnificent view of Marienberg Fortress perched high atop the hills overlooking the town. Wandering around the old town is fun by itself, as I encountered various beautiful buildings, most of them churches that towered over the mortal man.

While strolling in the old town I came across Marktplatz, a square where two buildings with their eye-catching architecture bound not to be missed by tourists. The deep crimson of Marienkapelle's (St. Mary's Chapel) Gothic architecture stood in towering contrast to the three-storey tall lightly beige façade of Falkenhaus' (Falcon House) Baroque architecture, promising a photogenic opportunity against the clear blue skies.

The tall crimson Gothic architecture of Marienkapelle stood in stark contrast against the lower Falkenhaus with its lighter tone and Baroque architecture. The latter houses the city library as well as the Tourist Office. The three gabled Rococo façades with their beautiful curls are the reason why the Falkenhaus stole the attention of most passer-bys.