Oh wow, thank you Dan. Your words mean a lot to me. And yes Umbrellas are totally manly!
Germany is always known for its love for bureaucracy but after having been to India and now experiencing China I can say that paperwork just got a whole new level :D
I furthermore guess office workers here in China also are not allowed to make decisions on their own hence making a lot of phone calls to higher planes of hierarchy necessary.
Hangzhou is near Shanghai, isn't it?
Yea Hangzhou is only an hour away from Shanghai by train and I think it's definitely a place worth visiting in China. It still has many aspects left of the traditional looking China that you think you will see before you go here but which u later find out is hard to find in many of the bigger cities! Where are you from and how long are you planning to stay in China ?
Sounds like definitely worth a visit. I am currently in Changde, China and will continue to do so for the next 3-6 months. The built up a Chinese Hanover (German town) here and also a "traditional" Chinese area nearby.
Are you living in China permanently?