We had bought our train tickets (¥12.50 per adult one way) to 绍兴 Shaoxing so we did not have to rush for time this morning. Unfortunately, there was a train delay and we arrived at 绍兴 20 minutes behind schedule. The train station was a big building with no visible cab queue nearby for us to try to get a cab. Finally, we decided to pay a premium (¥15 per pax) for a private car by the driver who offered us a ride to 东湖. According to 百度 Baidu, a 10 to 15-minute cab ride would cost around ¥20.
After getting tickets (¥50 per adult + ¥85 for the boat ride) and a quick toilet break (cleanest toilet so far!), we entered 东湖 East Lake around 9.40am. As we wanted to take the 乌篷船 boat ride from the further Pier No. 2 back to Pier No. 1, we took a very leisurely 1-hour stroll to reach Pier No. 2, with many stops to take pictures and enjoy the view. There was a light drizzle throughout our stroll, and somehow it added a mysterious misty and romantic feel to the visit. Perhaps because of the rain, it was also very quiet. Continue reading