Another weekend, another couple of days to explore Hangzhou. Today I headed out to the West Lake again. It’s massive, so it takes multiple visits to discover all of its sights. This time, I explored the Su Causeway 苏堤春晓.

The path itself is flanked by incredibly lush foilage, shading it from the glaring late morning sun. This walkway was also a lot less crowded and chaotic. There were more locals milling about, finishing up their morning stroll, jogging, singing opera, reading, discussing among themselves the plant and fruit species they come across.







After that little walk, I settled into a quiet spot, and searched “hangzhou hipster cafe” on my phone as I was craving a nice big brunch and coffee. Found 35mm cafe, and took a bus there. It’s located in a nice little neighbourhood that has potential for Tiong Bahru-grade hipsterism.
I fell in love the moment I stepped in. It was so quiet. Most patrons were students bent over notes, and those who came with companions spoke in hushed tones. The Japanese-inspired interiors were on point as well.


I was disappointed that their food options were limited to small bites, but damn, their coffee is great. I’ll be back for sure! It’s a lovely place to sit, stare, read, and enjoy some peace and quiet on my own.