Hangzhou - Mike's Road Trip

Zen experience in Hangzhou

Mike Shubic December 25th, 2016 Comments Off

The term Zen comes from the Chinese school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as Chan Buddhism. The Zen philosophy moved throughout Asia and is known as a method of rigorous self-control, meditative practice, self-awareness and the personal expression of ones insight in daily...

Auspicious Things to Do in Hangzhou

Mike Shubic August 11th, 2016 2 Comments

Last year I had an opportunity to visit Hangzhou, the capital of the Zhejiang province known to be the happiest city in all of China. Hangzhou has become a popular tourist destination for westerners in the past decade, but has been revered by emperors and other Chinese travelers for centuries....

Hangzhou Global Tour highlights

Mike Shubic January 27th, 2016 Comments Off

This past summer I was fortunate enough to be selected as a storyteller for the 2015 Hangzhou Global tour. This was a cultural immersion campaign by the Hangzhou Tourism Commission (HTC) in which ambassadors from the U.S. and China were selected , along with two storytellers to travel around the...

Impression West Lake show in Hangzhou

Mike Shubic October 30th, 2015 2 Comments

While I was in Hangzhou, China I had an opportunity to see and do a lot of extraordinary things, but without question, one of the highlights was seeing Impression West Lake. This aquatic tableau was one of the most sensational live performances I’ve ever seen, and that’s saying a lot...

The Essence of Tea in Hangzhou

Mike Shubic October 29th, 2015 Comments Off

If you look just beyond the majestic West Lake in Hangzhou, China, you'll see a mountainous silhouette casting a shadow on the horizon....this is where the famed Longjing Tea (aka Dragon Well) is grown. Longjing Tea is the best-of-the-best when it comes to green tea, this is due in part...

Hangzhou Global Tour: Day nine

Mike Shubic July 31st, 2015 1 Comment

Tea is highly coveted in Hangzhou, from its cultivation, to the art of making the perfect cup. Today we enjoyed a tea ceremony at one of the most exclusive teahouses in all of Hangzhou, Hu Pan Ju (or Lakeside Teahouse). The Hu Pan Ju Teahouse is located right on the...

Wyndham Grand in Hangzhou

Mike Shubic July 31st, 2015 Comments Off

When I arrived in Hangzhou, China for the start of the 2015 Hangzhou Global Tour, I was simply thrilled to be staying at the Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale. The Wyndham Grand properties are the finest and highest level within the Wyndham System. The lobby and the accommodations are best described...

Hangzhou Global Tour: Day seven

Mike Shubic July 29th, 2015 Comments Off

Tea is such an integral part of Chinese culture that it flows as abundantly as the waters of the Grand Canal. It is said that the hotter the tea, the more the person serving it likes you, because you’ll be forced to stay longer while it cools to a temperate...

Hangzhou Global Tour: Day six

Mike Shubic July 29th, 2015 Comments Off

Silk has a deep history in China that dates back thousands of years. The alluring fabric is woven into the lives of the people of Hangzhou (both literally and figuratively). From the cultivation, processing to its use in so many applications, silk is highly coveted and valued. To illustrate this...

Hangzhou Global Tour: Day five

Mike Shubic July 27th, 2015 6 Comments

It dawned on me the other day that one of the reasons West Lake in Hangzhou is so special is that it is an urban lake…an oasis right in the middle of a major city. I can think of only a few places I’ve been to where I can recall...

Hangzhou Global Tour: Day three

Mike Shubic July 25th, 2015 Comments Off

My third day in Hangzhou started off with a tour of a popular market where many merchants sell handcrafted items. One highlight included two gentleman pounding sesame seeds with large wooden mallets while humming a rhythmic tune in order to stay in sync with one another. The malleable form was...

Hangzhou Global Tour: Day two

Mike Shubic July 24th, 2015 Comments Off

It was a whirlwind of a second day in Hangzhou that started with a steep and windy drive to the top of Yuhuang Mountain—there we visited a Taoist Temple and met with a very friendly monk who was eager to show us around and answer our deluge of questions. Our...