Hello Kitty Meets HangZhou Tea Master in Dragon Well Village

Posted by MyKittyGifts.com - Administrator of Hello Kitty Gifts
Some of the visitors of the blog give comments on the last post that they want to know more about the procedure of frying Longjing leaves by bare hands and so I share below the following video (which had also been posted under the name of "mykittygifts" in U-tube) for your information:

If you know Cantonese, you will know that the girl in the video ask the following question:
"What's the use of the objects in the stainless steel pan held by me?"
According to the advice by the local guide, those are special nuts produced in the Dragon Well Village for making a kind of oil. The tea-master adds this special oil into the frying pan for frying the Longjing leaves. In this way, the leaves will be better fried and will also retain the smell of this special kind of nuts. What a secret recipe!!

Hello Kitty Asking for Tea in Dragon Well Village, HangZhou

Posted by MyKittyGifts.com - Administrator of Hello Kitty Gifts

Hangzhou's most famous product is Longjing tea, a bitter-tasting green tea highly prized by Chinese and foreigners worldwide. Longjing Tea Park contains what is claimed to be the original Dragon Well Tea (Longjing). Tea sellers here will invite you into their homes to taste different grades of tea: prices may seem astronomical at first, but the taste is really good and it stays in your throat for some time after drinking. The photo is a tea-master who has just completed frying the Longjing tea leaves in the traditional frying pan using his bare hands. It's really hot but he is trained to do it. He is holding the fried tea in a straw-knitted basket and showing it to us for tasting. The fried leaves have a stronger smell of green tea and is crispy like.

I also discover a very large tea pot so I jump on it to take a photo. The Chinese characters on the pot actually say that it is forbidden to take photos. Being a friendly ambassador, I am again granted the special permission by the tea seller. How lucky!!

This is the cup of green tea which I have just tasted. It's really nice so only a small amount is left in the cup.

Later on, I am presented a slightly different cup. Can you have a wild guess what this is used for?

Hello Kitty enjoying Acrobat Performance in HangZhou

Posted by MyKittyGifts.com - Administrator of Hello Kitty Gifts
This is another scene of the HangZhou performance. They are doing a Kung Fu dance of an ancient war scene about a famous national hero of the South Sung Dynasty - Yue Fei (岳飛).
A team of young female acrobats is performing a gymnastic pile up. Please note how flexible are their bodies. I hope that I can do such posture too but what I can normally do is a cat-stretch.
This talented young boy is doing a one-hand-stand on three layers of benches - really, really high!! This is a close-up view of the same young acrobat doing an even more difficult posture. See how he can balance himself steadily and comfortably. Me~~ow arvellous!!

Hello Kitty enjoying Thousand Hands Guan Yin Performance in HangZhou

Posted by MyKittyGifts.com - Administrator of Hello Kitty Gifts
I have seen a very marvellous performance in HangZhou - Thousand Hands Guan Yi. Although I cannot video-tape the actual performance there because the environment is too dark, I manage to find a video of similar nature to share it with you here. Actually, the performers in this video are even more marvellous than the HangZhou performers because the performers in this video are deaf. I am totally impressed and feel that really nothing is impossible if you are determined to do it.
Guan Yin is considered by Buddhists as the Goddess of Mercy. Her whole name is Guan Shi Yin. Guan means to observe, watch, or monitor; Shi means the world; Yin means sounds, specifically sounds of those who suffer. Thus, Guan Yin is a compassionate being who watches for, and responds to the people in the world who cry out for help.
The thousand hands of Guan Yin's represent her limitless abilities to give assistance. There are a thousand eyes on these hands which give Guan Yin marvellous powers to observe the world. Guan Yin also has many faces so she can become anyone to suit the particular circumstances to offer help, not necessarily herself, because her help is given in a way that is literally selfless.

Thousand-Hands Guan Yin Masterpiece

Nevetheless, I manage to take a photograph of the HangZhou performers and I also want to share it with you here.If you enjoy this marvellous performance of beauty and grace, please share it with your friends and loved ones. Send them a message about this blog so they can see the video for themselves.

As long as you have love and kindness in your heart

A thousand hands will naturally come to your aid

As long as you have love and kindness in your heart

You will reach out with a thousand hands to help others

Hello Kitty at "Hundred Longevity Mural" of Xi Hu Tian Di, HangZhou

Posted by MyKittyGifts.com - Administrator of Hello Kitty Gifts

Besides restaurants and cafe, I also find a statue of an old man in Tai Chi posture in front of a feature wall (Hundred Longevity Mural). On this mural, there are a hundred different ways to write the Chinese word longevity. The statue In front of the mural is the Zhang Sanfeng, the lengendary investor of Tai Chi Chuan. Tai Chi Chuan is a form of tradtional Chinese martial arts and it is believed that if you practise it everyday in the morning, you can gain good health and longevity.

Well, let's have a final glimpse of Xi Hu Tian Di before I go to watch a performance of traditional Chinese culture by the HangZhou artists. The pool is calm and the reflection is perfect - another Chinese picturesque painting.

On my way to the theatre, I catch hold of this particular scene. Some of the bicycles have back-seats for small children - quite an innovative invention!

Hello Kitty at Jamaica Coffee Shop of Xi Hu Tian Di, HangZhou

Posted by MyKittyGifts.com - Administrator of Hello Kitty Gifts

After wandering around HangZhou West Lake for some time, I feel a bit tired and start to look for a coffee shop where I can have a rest and enjoy the taste of coffee in HangZhou. The Starbucks in Xi Hu Tian Di is beautifully decorated with greenery that brings you a comfortable feeling.However, this time I want to try something new and I choose the Jamaica Coffee Shop which is a high quality coffee shop from Spain. The coffee house is decorated externally like a traditional Chinese house so that it fits harmoniously into the beautiful scenery of West Lake (Xi Hu).
Besides coffee, beer is also served. Wow, the beer bottle is even larger than me. You can also see the waitor at the back. They provide very good service and every customer (including cats)is treated with personal attention. Look what I have ordered - a Spanish Specialty Blue Mountain coffee, a Cappuccino and a Tiramisu cake served with cream. Attractive looking and yummy !! Me~~ow!!

Hello Kitty at Gold Cow Lake of Xi Hu Tian Di, HangZhou

Posted by MyKittyGifts.com - Administrator of Hello Kitty Gifts

When I get pass the entrance gateway, I arrive at the Gold Cow Lake. It is relaxing to have a sunbath lying on the shrubs. In the distance, there is a traditional Chinese bridge and a gold cow (meaning good fortune).THe gold cow looks like that it is emerging from the waters of Xi Hu. It looks very real indeed!!
I also come across an artist doing sketches by the side of the Gold Cow Lake. If you look closely at his sketches, you will find that he draws quite well - another talented guy I meet in HangZhou other than the humble fisherman.