Lost in Zhejiang “High Country" during April 2017...

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Lost in Zhejiang “High Country" during April 2017...

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Tea processing is the method in which the leaves from the tea plant Camellia sinensis are transformed into the dried leaves for brewing tea.The categories of tea are distinguished by the processing they undergo. In its most general form, tea processing involves different manners and degree of oxidation of the leaves, stopping the oxidation, forming the tea and drying it.The innate flavour of the dried tea leaves is determined by the type of cultivar of the tea bush, the quality of the plucked tea leaves, and the manner and quality of the production processing they undergo. After processing, a tea may be blended with other teas or mixed with flavourants to alter the flavour of the final tea.

Leaf teas are processed either by roasting or steaming. Roasted tea are also called pan-fried tea.[1] Generally, roasted varieties are richer in flavor, while steamed varieties are more vivid in color. The ancient Chinese society first encountered the tea plant in what is now southern China and processed it as another medicinal herb for use in Chinese herbology. The processing technique used to process fresh tea leaves was to immediately steam the fresh tea leaves and dry them for preservation, which is likely the most ancient Chinese form of tea leaf processing. This processing method was perfected near the end of the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE) and produced a dried tea that would be classified today as "green tea" and quite similar to modern Japanese sencha. For consumption, dried tea leaves were either decocted with water around with other herbs, or ground into a powder to be taken straight or in a liquid.

With the increase of tea's use in Chinese herbology, production methods changed, where the processed green tea leaves were not immediately dried after steaming. Rather the steamed tea leaves were first pulverized into a paste form, with the paste then formed in moulds and slowly dried into brick tea, a technique well described by Lu Yu in his work The Classic of Tea. Tender leaves and leaf buds were generally not used, as older mature tea leaves were preferred for tea production. Some tea bricks were also produced from mature whole leaves, which typically required the use of a cooked rice slurry to bind the tea brick together. The preference of producing tea in brick form possibly stems from the fact that it can be more easily transported and stored.

Green tea drying is done to "finish" the tea for sale. This can be done in a myriad of ways including panning, sunning, air drying, or baking. Baking is usually the most common. Great care must be taken to not over-cook the leaves. The drying of the produced tea is responsible for many new flavour compounds particularly important in green teas.

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Dongqian Lake is a lake lying in the southeast of Yinzhou District, Ningbo in the Zhejiang province of eastern China. It is the largest natural freshwater lake in Zhejiang province with a water surface area of approx. 20 square kilometers. Since ancient times the Lake has been a famous scenic spot in Eastern Zhejiang province.

Dongqian Lake is an increasingly popular destination for residents of Ningbo (it’s around a 45- minute drive out of the city centre), but the expressway links to the city from Shanghai mean that it’s also a convenient weekend break from here. Although tourist developments are expanding to serve this trade, the lake remains largely untroubled by the sort of crowds who swarm around, say, Hangzhou’s West Lake and the out of town location gives it a far more relaxing air.

Dongqian actually consists of three lakes, with the North Lake the pick of these. Small villages, temples and even a Song dynasty sculpture park are nestled between mountains and the lake’s shores.
A quiet road runs the circumference, making it ideal for a run or bike ride.

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Lost in Zhejiang “High Country" during April 2017 around Dongqian Lake....

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Heading out to the mountain ranges from Dongqian Lake beyond Hengxi in Zhejiang, also called “Zhe” for short which is located in the East of China. With Shanghai and Jangsu in its North, Anhui and Jiangxi in its West, Fujian and Zhejiang in its South. Zhejiang Province, on the whole, a mountainous province, mountains and hills accounting for 70% of the total area of Zhejiang, and generally higher elevations west and south. It has a long history of planting Chinese tea trees. Tea is the leading and sustainable development agriculture in Zhejiang. Zhejiang is also the main green tea producing area in China. Zhejiang carried out natural and organic tea project in order to improve tea quality. Zhejiang established tea business relationship with nearly 60 countries in the world. The main tea it sells to these countries are Gunpower Tea and all kinds of famous green tea. Zhejiang became the biggest place all over the world for producing, processing and exporting green tea.

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Lost in Zhejiang “High Country" during April 2017 beyond Hengxi in the mountain ranges....

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Being a province with a lot of ancient villages and old towns, Zhejiang is endowed with abundant cultural and historical heritages. It is in this very place that the traditional Chinese culture is well-preserved without the steady stream of tourists...

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Lost in Zhejiang “High Country" during April 2017 around old villages in the mountains....

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Tasty and excellent food during the farewell dinner from Zhejiang province at Park Hyatt Hotel Ningbo (Seafood House Chinese Restaurant)....



























Overall excellent days riding the twisty tarmac roads sand offroad trails, definetly making my way over to Zhejiang province again soon during 2017....

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Also known as Duanwujie, Dragon Boat Festival is a holiday of eating sticky rice dumplings, drinking realgar wine (a mix of huangjiu and regular minerals) and racing (or watching) dragon-shaped boats. This year the holiday period in Mainland China = Sunday 28 to Tuesday 30 May, with Double Fifth day itself falling on the Tuesday.

Now celebrated worldwide, Dragon Boat Festival’s humble origins date back to southern China over 2,000 years ago. As with all great legends, the facts are largely contested, vary from region to region and come heavily embellished. One of the best-known stories holds that Dragon Boat Festival commemorates celebrated poet and minister, Qu Yuan (343-278 BC).

The story goes that Qu was betrayed by officials, accused of treason and exiled from the kingdom. After wiling away years in exile, Qu threw himself in a river as a form of protest against the corruption of the time. Upon hearing the tragic news, villagers loyal to Qu went in search of his body, splashing their paddles, banging drums and throwing sticky rice balls into the water in an attempt to keep the fish well away from his body. Hence today, Dragon Boat Races and the rice-heavy snack Zongzi.

Eating Zongzi is one of the customs during the annual Dragon Boat Festival. The pyramid-shaped sticky rice parcels wrapped in reed or bamboo leaves are tasty enough without any fillings, but one can add sweetened bean paste, fresh meat or egg yolk.

If heading to the actual race events and squeezing in with everyone else is too much work, celebrate the festival by eating the iconic Zongzi. Like mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Festival (but tastier and not re-gifted as often), this is the traditional snack for Dragon Boat Festival.

While countless regional variations exist, the foundation of these 'sticky rice dumplings' is glutinous rice packed around a savory or sweet filling like pork belly or red bean, then wrapped with bamboo leaves. Though available all-year-round, in the weeks leading up to the festival you'll see an increase in street stall steamers full of the pyramid-shaped treat. Stacks of them (Zongzi) at any water town around the greater Shanghai region.





Traditional Dragon Boat Racing during Duanwujie ~ what's on the Dragon Boat for the racing?





Dragon’s Head
The auspicious dragon. Dragons are obviously popular in Chinese culture, and understandably so: they’re symbolic of power and strength and they’re masters of the water – as well as just about everything else. In dragon boat racing, the dragon’s head is more of a ceremonial adornment, added for festivals. Before the race begins, the dragon’s eyes are dotted with lucky red paint, to symbolise the dragon coming to life.

Drummer
A key player in the race, the drummer is essentially the pulse, riding in prime position at the front of the boat. He or she overlooks the paddlers and maintains a steady drumbeat to help paddlers keep the pace and stay in sync.

Paddlers
Depending on the size of the boat, the crew is usually made up of ten to 20 paddlers, sitting in two rows, paddling in unison to propel the boat through the water under the watchful eyes of the steersperson and drummer. Not to be confused with rowers, paddlers face forwards and use paddles, not oars, obviously. Paddlers at the front of the boat set the pace, while paddlers at the back are used for strength to keep the speed up, especially in faster waters. And paddlers wouldn't be much without...

Paddles
Some people say that the paddles are symbolic of the dragon’s claws, wading through the water. Different from oars, paddles are not connected to the boat in any way and are in total control of the paddler.

Steersperson
No surprises here, the steersperson is in charge of steering during the course of the race, using the sweep oar. As the only one who can really see what’s going on outside the boat, it’s also the job of the steersperson to alert the crew to any signs of danger or potential collisions. So no pressure or anything.

Dragon Boat Racing, if you’re looking to get in on the action yourself while around Shanghai (China), the Shanglong Dragonboat Club (Shanghai) welcomes newcomers and paddlers of any background throughout the year.
http://www.dragonboatsh.org

Skipped the national Dragonboat Festival holiday crowds and went trail riding and "green-laning" around a few Shanghai region watertowns...

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Battle of the Water Towns around the greater Shanghai region...





Wuzhen ~ What’s it like? Split into two sections – east and west – Wuzhen is undeniably pretty, but it’s also one of the most commercial and tourist-filled towns on this list. The west area is supposedly best at night when the lights come on, though in the day time it’s just as picturesque. The east part, meanwhile, features a smallish park and regular kung fu performances from several retired gentlemen atop a boat. Both areas are based around one long stretch of canal, each with narrow lanes either side. The town is most famous for being the former home of Chinese literary great Mao Dun.
Manageable on weekdays, Wuzhen is incredibly claustrophobic at peak times. Limited to the two sections, tourists are funneled down into the same main streets with few chances of escape. A free open air cinema screening old black-and-white Chinese films on a wall in the west area (9-11pm, daily) provides some rare respite, but generally it’s hellish at weekends. Wuzhen’s beauty is also its downfall, causing steep entrance prices and overwhelming tourist crowds. Although it’s bearable on weekdays, at weekends the frustration of fighting through the tourists makes it hard to justify a trip.

Qibao ~ What’s it like? When it comes to water towns nearest to Shanghai, it’s hard to beat Qibao for convenience, located as it is on metro line 9, though this is probably its only real advantage. With just a couple of small old streets left and a serviceable canal area that runs for a mere block, Qibao doesn’t boast as many photo opportunities as places such as Zhouzhuang or Wuzhen, but there is a pleasant temple and a tiny shadow puppet theatre that are worth visiting.
Given the lack of options for wandering, avoiding the crowds at Qibao is tricky. Come on a weekday, though, and you’ll find it manageable. Qibao is fine for an hour or two, but it’s not the most authentic water town experience around.

Zhouzhuang ~ What’s it like? Zhouzhuang is one of the country’s oldest water towns and, according to posters plastered throughout the streets, sees itself as ‘China’s number one water town’. Unfortunately, so do the tourist groups, meaning it’s one of the busiest water towns in the region. It’s a shame, as Zhouzhuang is certainly one of the prettier sites in the area, and one of the larger ones too, though there’s little to see off the main T-junction of waterways at the town’s centre. Various Qing and Ming dynasty residences are dotted around the town, though the real beauty of Zhouzhuang is in the dozen or so stone bridges that cross the water (provided they’re not packed with tourists). Even on weekdays, Zhouzhuang gets busy, with few places to escape the hordes herded down the main streets by flag and megaphone-wielding guides. The 900-year-old Taoist Chengxu Temple provides one of the few spots for respite, though even this can become crowded at peak times. It’s pretty, but the tourist crowds and commercialism are relentless, even on a weekday

Xitang ~ What’s it like? Xitang is one of the more attractive water towns in the region, presumably the reason Tom Cruise and co chose to film the roof-hopping scene toward the end of Mission Impossible III here, but that also means tourists flock to it. Other than photos of Cruise with smiling locals dotted in various restaurants, and a big picture of him looking all action hero-like beside a stone bridge, there are thankfully few references to the film. Nine rivers criss-cross the town, with regular stone arch bridges and narrow lanes either side of the waterways, which are prettier than most. Busy on weekdays, Xitang is overrun at weekends – megaphones and matching caps abound. Undeniably picturesque in terms of its layout and architecture, Xitang is another water town that has become a tourist trap, meaning that taking in the beautiful scenery is usually punctured by someone elbowing you out the way to get to the stinky tofu stand.

Tongli ~ What’s it like? Tongli is one of the smaller water towns, centering on a main junction of canals and arched bridges, but it has some unique attractions that make it worth a visit. Waterside cafes, tree-lined streets and a boat of cormorants kept for the tourists mean that it’s a photogenic place – but one of the main motivations for visiting Tongli, and what made it stand out from the myriad water towns surrounding Shanghai, was the only China Sex Museum (closed during 2015 ~ yet to reopen somewhere).
On weekdays, Tongli is pleasantly empty. Weekends naturally see larger crowds, but generally the pace is slower here than in other water towns. The traditional scenic part of Tongli is relatively small, yet it doesn’t feel as bustling as other water towns.

Zhujiajiao ~ What’s it like? Zhujiajiao’s mix of bridges, canals, wood-panelled buildings and narrow lanes is fairly standard, but it’s nonetheless attractive. The Qingpu town has an appealing combination of accessibility and places to escape the crowds. The town is centred on a large main canal where you’ll find the longest of its numerous bridges, Fangsheng Bridge, which is also known as ‘setting fish free bridge’ – for a few kuai you can buy a goldfish to release into the water (they’re fished out again a little way downstream and resold).
Zhujiajiao’s accessibility from Shanghai means that it’s a tourist favourite, but in its favour the town offers more escapes from the crowds than the average water town. The whole town is worth exploring, with numerous side streets to avoid the tourists, and a number of kooky cafes to hide in. If you decide to stay for the evening, open air Kunqu opera performances and classical music shows taking place every summer. It may not be as spectacular as some neighbouring water towns, but the mix of accessibility, no entrance ticket and cool cafes to escape the hordes mean that Zhujiajiao is still a worthy day trip.

Nanxun ~ What’s it like? Although much of Nanxun itself is a grimy industrial town, and some of the water town area has succumbed to the tourist tat virus, large parts of it are green, peaceful and filled with locals relaxing (and not trying to sell you anything). The best part of the water town area is the south-west, where you can escape the crowds on even the busiest days and find trees arching over the peaceful water – we like the tranquil Little Lotus Garden, a grand former residential house with a small lake at the back, and the Jiayetang Library, home to a large collection of ancient tomes and tree-covered grounds, where locals sip tea and play cards beside the water.
Nanxun is absent from the main tourist trails, making it pleasantly light on megaphones and matching baseball caps. You’ll still see the odd tourist group, particularly in the southern part of town and at weekends, but it’s a far cry from tourist traps such as Wuzhen. With charmingly rustic residential streets and relatively few tourist trappings, Nanxun is our new favourite water town. Just get there before everyone else does.

***various watertown pictures below in no particular order***

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Water Towns around the greater Shanghai region...



















































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__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Water Towns around the greater Shanghai region...

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR

Working on one's bike is also the gift that keeps on giving, there are many zen-like moments to be had just focusing on a bike repair, modification or just some maintenance ~ ~ few personal tips and tricks below...

KTM450EXC, got it all sorted now for long distance touring with the installation of the Acerbis 3.2gal. tank, Akrapovic Titanium slip-on muffler (remap), Clake SLR and a Globetrottin' luggage rack.











Looked at the cheap universal MIC = Made In China fuel tank sock filters (not impressed on material and most probably fitment issues), got some KTM-EXC (2016) fuel tank sock filters by Profill - Australia.









Couple of month ago installed the Clake SLR (hand & foot dual rear brake control), after extensive testing, brilliant setup going around the asphalt twisties and during offroading ~ right turns are great fun now as foot stays in position on foot peg or easily extended for the "slide" or real technical sections...







Love doing my own bike work and maintenance, DRC wheel balancing and truing stand (Gyro Stand), works brilliant and easy as for maintenance with the earlier mention spoke torque wrench by Warp9....









Having a few sets of reusable spoke weights on standby if needed but fine for now...

__________________
Somewhere down the road in China since '89 ~ along the route I've learned the hard way that pleasing everyone is impossible, but pissing everybody off is a piece of cake....TBR