city walk
By Hazeera Begum, Fang Jingyi
Last Saturday, it was wet and the air was mixed with a hint of dampness. Since it was too boring to stay at home, I participated in a city walk event. The route started from the ruins of the Deshou Palace, across an open vegetable market, then winded along the Zhongshan road.
While going through the bustling crowd, streets and alleys, for a moment I had an illusion of travelling back to my childhood years. In the fresh and cheap fruit shops in the farmer's market, the vegetables, the mud on which the mud had not yet been washed away, are sold by street vendors without any super fancy packaging. Everything went back to Jane.
Although the Dama Long Alley(大马弄) is not long, it is rich in foods, and you can eat while walking. When I got to the end of the alley, I was full.
At the entrance of the Chayuanqian （察前院）Vegetable Market, I saw a long line of people at Master Jiang's Crispy Fish Store. The foods such as Deqing white stripe, small knife fish and several varieties are all freshly fried, and covered with sweet and sour sauce and sprinkled with green onions. I tried some and enjoyed the delicacy.
In the middle of the Dama Long Alley, many people lined up in a small shop, waiting to buy the green onion buns which is a 6-course stew, with sweet noodle sauce and chili. I was really amazed with it at the first bite! It was good to eat it hot!
Believe it or not, I also ate two bowls of noodles and a bowl of wonton. After eating, we went to the Nansong Royal Street to wander around, it's all nearby. We completed the five-kilometer city walk by exploring the old streets. It was such an unforgettable and enjoyable experience.
Nowadays, city walk becomes one of the most popular workouts for hiking enthusiasts. Here are some routes for hikers:
Route 1: Chenghuang Pavilion - Xiaoxia Lane- Shiwukui Alley – Dama Long Alley
This route is about 3km and will take two and a half hours to complete the hike. It is recommended to pray for a good fortune and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the West Lake in the Chenghuang Pavilion and try some Hangzhou local food in the Damanong Alley.
Route 2: Bagua Field Historic Site Park - Fenghuang Pavilion - Yuhuang Mountain - Bagua Field Loop Path
This route will take more than three hours and visitors can have a look at the Bagua Field Historic Site Park and visit Yuhuang Palace in the 6-km-long walk.
Route 3: Xiling Seal Art Society - Qingxing Palace Historic Site - Zhejiang Museum - Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake - Gu Shan (Solitary Hill)
Plum blossoms are blooming in Solitary Hill recently and this route is perfect for those who like to enjoy the flower scene. The route is not very long, but you can feel the beauty of the West Lake.
Hazeera enjoyed the food in the Dama Long Alley during the city walk last Saturday. Photo provided to Hangzhoufeel