Back to village life.

It's taken four days but the jet lag is now largely gone and we're almost back to functioning as normal humans. Those 15 hour flights sure know how to interfere with happily established circadian rhythms. 50 years ago we could take the overnight flight from LA and get off the plane in London bright and bushy tailed. These days we're ready for a holiday by the time we've made it through security to the boarding gate. 

A final few comments about China.

The West Lake at Hangzhou has gardens that go back to the 8th century. Some folks say they're older than that ( the nearby Grand canal to Beijing dates to the 5th century BC ) but seeing gardens that are 1300 years old is good enough for us. Can there be anywhere else on earth with as many azaleas ? The place is a gem.

The weather when we got there was bad. Hot, sultry and with low cloud that sometimes picked up the courage to drizzle. Walking in this sauna like heat was exhausting so we opted for a tour by electric boat. On a clear day this excursion  must be as close to heaven as a tourist can get. Our boat had a crew of three to look after the two of us. Two men steered and a young woman prepared and served tea. Halfway through sustenance arrived in the shape of a plate of tired looking strawberries. All of the crew thought it odd that we should from time to time want to venture onto the deck rather than stay in the air conditioned cabin. None of them spoke a word of English which says volumes about tourism in China. If we did venture out onto deck one of them would come and attempt to usher us back inside like stray chickens. All wore very smart navy blue uniforms that had something of the 19th century Prussian postal system to them.

Some of the pagodas and temples get busy. I mean crazy busy. In fact  neither of us have ever seen so many people in one spot. We'd not understood that Hangzhou is a BIG Chinese tourist destination. It makes Kyoto in peak season look quiet. I'd still have to say that the biggest shock ( amongst many ) for European visitors to the Shanghai area is the sheer number of people.

The sultry weather follows us back up to Shanghai.

Business Class on Chinese railways has the longest leg room of any trains we've ever been on. The seats fold out like First Class airline seats. Our journey is only an hour but some folks have been on the train for a seven hour trip down to Hainan. By the time we board the carriage is nearing the end of its journey and has a ' well lived in' look that passengers on ScotRail will immediately recognize.

Weekends, it seems,  are peak marriage time. Some young couples opt for a 'traditional' look.

It's also the time for folks from the 'burbs' to come into town. They have a ' we're determined to enjoy ourselves' vibe.

'The Font' insists on visiting an exhibition of Chinese fashion of the 20's and 30's.  I express my displeasure but it turns out to be interesting and surprisingly 'cheeky' for puritan China.

How did these clothes survive the barren uniformity of the cultural revolution ?  Did they continue to make silk during the upheavals ? There's nothing to tell us.

All Chinese hotel rooms are supplied with these.

Back in Scotland life is moving along at a hectic pace. We saw our first student heading off home for the summer. To have no exams must make these early leavers the envy of their friends. Exams start on Monday so give it a couple of weeks and the town will start thinning out big time as the students head off. The farmers wife continues to be on tenterhooks over her youngest and his bac exams. He is of course fixated on the upcoming trip to the World Cup and treats the exams with a insouciant disregard that drives her mad.

Talking to strangers. Thought for the day :https://miniphilosophy.substack.com/p/when-did-a-stranger-change-your-life

Larry, the Downing Street cat, has an iconoclasts sense of humour :https://x.com/Number10cat

A new ( old ) discovery :https://x.com/ProfTCSchmidt/status/2046565772235776211

The ultimate Taiwanese movie ? :https://notnottalmud.substack.com/p/on-yi-yi-my-favourite-movie-and-why

Microdramas. The next big thing from China :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNAWtuWzToE

Quiet, but welcome, progress :https://x.com/anishmoonka/status/2045757539409621414