Creating Entropy: China Trip: Days 1 & 2, Hangzhou

Hello All!
I am now nearly finished with my second day here in China, so I will recount my journey thus far.
After a fun Monday in L.A. with my friend Janae, who was kind enough to give me a ride, my flight departed at 12:40 AM PST on Tuesday. I sat next to a nice couple from the Dallas area, Jim and Lena, who were going to Shenzhen for vacation. They slept most the flight; I wish I were so lucky. Two hours of sleep and a thirteen hour flight later I arrived in Beijing Capital International Airport. What a beautiful complex!

Unfortunately, I was unable to check in to my flight before I left, so I had to march all the way to front of the airport and check-in. This was a bit nerve racking for me because of the shear size and layout of the airport, which was compounded with it being my first real experience as a foreigner. I'd never been in such a situation, even in Mexico you don't feel so alien; I suppose I assumed that many more people would speak English than actually do. All the same it was a great learning experience, and I feel that on my return flight home the process will be MUCH easier.
Here are a few photos after I had gotten things sorted:
A lego feature for children.

A brief glimpse of one small part of the domestic terminal. I will get some of the international on my return flight.

I then boarded my final flight to Hangzhou where, upon arrival, my Dad was waiting. We soon met with Mr. Mah, the driver, and went off to Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital where my Dad works and lives, and I would be staying. Let me say, the way people drive in China is VERY efficient! Lanes are more of suggestions. Horns are used to announce your presence rather than to express displeasure, haha. Pedistrians DO NOT have the right of way. Drivers are not afraid to squeeze through tight spots. To see how quickly the masses of scooters, pedestrians, and automobiles move simultaneously in such tight confines is remarkable. Ah yes, scooters/bikes typically have their own lane. It's a system that works very well, and there is no road rage. Amazing! I'll have to snap more pics of this later.
One thing I like in particular, many of the lights show how much time is remaining for that direction.

A mugen powered buick?

Soon after we arrived at our apartment complex, I passed out. We then later went with some of the surgery residents to "Hot Pot" for dinner. Quite a unique dining experience.

The pot is constantly cooking, with the left side being more mild, and the right being pretty damn spicy! You then take your assortment of food and through it into whichever side you like, and cook to your preference. Yes, that is a liver on the upper right. The Chinese put nothing to waste!

drunken shrimp: still live until you put them in the pot!

The Bunch: our waitress was not very good at announcing when she was taking the photo, haha.

Not much in the way of left-overs

After taking a bus back (did I mention yet that it's well below freezing?) I soon enjoyed my new years eve by falling asleep around 7 PM local time! Happy New Year!

I slept rather well, but woke up around 2 am, and passed the time watching Monty Python and the Holy Grail before falling back to sleep. I woke again, at 7:30, and then had some excellent coffee and oatmeal with Dad before he went to work.
This is my father?

Later, after lunch we headed off to West Lake. Simply beautiful. We hiked up to the Six Harmonies Pagoda. Quite the hike.

Later we continued further up the Hill to this small temple. Many come and try to climb the side of it where the rock has small finger holds

Here, nearly half way up the hill, you can see West Lake. Hangzhou is essentially level with the lake, which was once a inlet from the sea. Hangzhou was essentially the source for silk in early international trade!

Also, Miner Birds are carried up to sing.

Back down at the Lake

The Pilot of this blimp was very comfortable "gettin' some" in his airship! He was doing manuevers I never knew a blimp could do! Pitching it sideways, doing big sweeping banks, dipping low, and even going lower than some of the highrises. At one point he was probably 50 feet from the water. This would never pass in the US, and I wish it would!