A Weekend in Ningbo
Hey everyone,
This weekend I had the opportunity to go with 50 other students from my university to the neighboring province of Zhejiang. Here is where we will spend time learning about traditional Chinese culture and take time to enjoy a more rural part of China.
The first day was on the 28th of September. After boarding the tour busses, the 50 of us going all left at 9:30. Surprisingly, it took about 2 and a half hours before we arrived at our first stop: Hangzhou Bay Wetland Park.
Hangzhou Bay Wetland Park was where we were treated to lunch and Shaoxing Opera. The opera style is very unique. Many people were playing instruments and the focus was only on two of the performers. They were both dressed in colorful, bright clothing. The Bay was huge, and we got to see quite a bit of it as we walked through. There were various animals, like alpacas, as well as giant birds. There were a handful of families throughout the Bay, but I think with how hot it was more people opted to stay inside.
After the Hangzhou Bay Wetland Park we made our way over to dinner, where we had 45 minutes to eat, and then quickly sped off to Carnival de Nice.
The Carnival was an event. The purpose is to blend Chinese and European culture into a fun night and it ended up being a gigantic parade with animatronic floats, dancing people in costumes, and much more. It was loud. It was bright. It was something I don't think I will ever experience again in my lifetime. It truly encompasses the meaning of, "You just had to be there."
After that we finally got to rest. By this time it was late into the day and pushing midnight, and we had just checked into the Westin.
Saturday began bright and early at 7:30, where breakfast would be served until 8:30. Our meeting time was immediately after breakfast, where we would board the buses and head off to our next destination.
Since we would be leaving mid-day today, much of our activities were right after one another, meaning we would be quite rushed throughout them all. Once leaving the hotel we would immediately go to the Tianyi Pavillion and then head to Xikou.
Xikou is our last stop in Ningbo. We were told we would go and see one of the Buddha's in the mountain, but I had no idea the actual size until we got there. One of the five sacred Chinese mountains in Buddhism is Xuedou Mountain. Here is where one will find a giant, 200 foot tall copper laughing Buddha, as well as an impeccable view of the Chinese architecture. This Buddha is the largest one of its kind in the world, and If you're lucky, you may see some monks during prayer, as I was able to witness some walking around the base of the Buddha and hear them saying their prayer. To get to the Buddha you will have to ascend 300 steps, and once at the top you can pay an additional 20 yuan to take an elevator from the bottom of the Buddha to the middle, where you can then walk around the front of the body and see a more ariel view of the land. From here you can also touch the feet of the Buddha.
Getting the opportunity to leave campus for the weekend and see a place other than Shanghai was a decision I do not regret making. Through Ningbo, I got to see a part of China that I've never seen before. I got to see more of rural China, less consumed by goods and materials. I got to see history from a new point of view, and the history of people from a lesser known area. I got to see the giant Buddha in one of the holiest sites in Buddhism, and not to mention in a beautiful mountain. I often say that China is the perfect detox; it puts into perspective what really matters. If you are in the area and are close, go to Zhejiang, go to Ningbo. It will give you a breath of fresh air that the city of Shanghai lacks. It is well worth the visit.
Where are you hoping I go next? Let me know in the comments and, as always,
Until next time.
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