Everywhere but Home Life in Shanghai and on the road in China.

3 June 2012 Saturday, June 2, Hayley, Nico, and I met up to take a bus on a day trip to Xitang, Zhejiang. Only an hour bus ride about 70km from Shanghai, ancient Xitang is a well known water canal town. It is mostly known for covered walkways and willow lined waterside houses. If you like to know more http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/zhejiang/hangzhou/xitang.htm This day was really about small town meandering. If one needs to get excited for a reputation, Xitang is where Mission Impossible 3 was filmed and when Tom Cruise was cool. Many of the ancient houses and sites looked like any other ancient Chinese building that is around Shanghai old districts. Most of the houses are made of wood and are very prone to fires, however, it also gives them a unique look. Lots of tourist shopping has moved in with souvenir and food shops. Best known in Xiang are little cakes called 'qianshi gao' and yellow rice wine. The highlight of our trip was the chicken. I saw a women walking out from an alleyway and questioned, "Is she carrying a chicken?" Hayley: Yep, it's alive. Nico: No, I think it's dead. Hayley: Definitely alive. In her other hand was a pair of scissors. We watched her walk to the water which was right in front of us and could only guess what was about to happen. This Chinese women cut the chickens neck with the scissors so it would bleed. With its feet bound together with tread, she then put in under the water as to drowned it. Hayley: This is just so disturbing but I can't help but watch. The chicken flutters around for a couple minutes as the woman recuts some veins and continues to wave it around in the water until it lay still. Ay! Chicken execution. Best part, not long before we had chicken for lunch at a local food place. Chinese traveler: If you are going to eat chicken here, which I recommend its delicious, at least you know its fresh. Our bus was to leave back to Shanghai at 4:45pm. We finished our day at a local coffee bar to have a drink. Beer not coffee. Unknown from the entrance the little cafe ended up being a sweet location which we sat on the upper level. It had lots of collected furniture and knick nak stuff from Tibet and other asian, mod, and eclectic furniture. The weather forcast predicted 80% chance of rain for the day but we lucked out and had none. Happy travels, much more to come every weekend in June. Niko