Oct 31st - Shanghai Watch Factory E-commerce Headquarters in Hangzhou

Anyang, Qiandao Hu and Hangzhou

After my extended stay in Xinmi. I'd intended to travel to Anyang and explore around there for a few days before visiting with my brother Ma Rong in Shijiazhuang.

So my day started with a short stint in the Business Class Lounge in Zhengzhou Railway Station, aiming for Anyang later that day. Comfortable seating and refreshments included in the Business Class ticket.

I had a very pleasant, quiet and calm trip to Anyang...

This is what $59 CDN a night got in Anyang at the Wanda Realm, easily one of the best bang for buck hotel experiences in all my travels. The hotel is surrounded by great shopping, and lots of busy neighbourhood restaurants.

I could even get a haircut if I wanted. 5 minutes from the hotel.

Super deal--except within moments of settling down in the room. I received a Wechat text from my China Horologe Association mentor and advisor, Li Wei, asking me to change my plans so that I could meet with him ASAP in Hangzhou and Shanghai.

That meant leaving Anyang the very next morning, taking the train right back to Zhengzhou for a transfer to Hangzhou and then another transfer to Qiandao Hu, where Mr. Li advised I would stay overnight before driving to hangzhou for a day, from Hangzhou to Shanghai the next day.

Mr. Li said to expect some surprises, and he wasn't joking. He also advised that during the next few days I'd be acting in my official capacity as Chief Expert of the China Watch Overseas Working Committee of the China Horologe Association (CHA/CWOWC).

I caught a 10:30AM fast train out of Anyang at about 10:30 in the morning, and arrived in Qiandao Hu (Qiandao Lake) at around 7:30 PM later that same day.  That's 1300+ kilometers and an estimated (at least) 15 hour drive--but 9 hours by fast train (with two train changes). so not bad at all.

There I was met by Mr. Li and Mr. Chen, who drove me to the beautiful hotel where I stayed overnight before heading to Hangzhou the next morning. As the photos below show, the Lake area is gorgeous even on overcast days.

Qiandao Hu/Lake, is the identical body of water as the Xin'anjiang Reservoir, with the Hu or Lake referring to the scenic aspects and the Reservoir referring to the engineering aspects. Either way, this huge man-made lake area, famous for over 1000 large and a few thousand more small recreational islands, is a beautiful place, and so was the hotel I was provided courtesy Shanghai Watch Factory and the CHA.

The next morning we drove to Hangzhou, stopping for refreshments at this cool spot on the lake. Not important but scenic, and I like the photos.

The next stop on arrival in Hangzhou was Big Surprise #1 - a visit to Shanghai Watch Factory's E-commerce headquarters.

In the photo are Mr. Guangtao (green vest / a noted collector and scholar of Chinese and European watches), Mr. Liu (Director of Shanghai E-commerce), an old guy from Alberta, Mr. Li (Group Leader of the CHA Domestic Collections Committee, and a top-level Chinese horological scholar, collector and writer), and Mr. Chen (Director of the new Shanghai Watch Factory Museum in Shanghai, and a noted Chinese watch collector/scholar specializing in Shanghai pieces and history).

Sign translation:

Maintaining a strong  online presence across Chinese social media and sales sites, as well as its own sites, the Hangzhou center houses online sales, ordering and inventory, audience analysis, all the back-end functions of the company's own websites, as well as the print, photographic, video, audio and live content creation used in streaming and advertising.

Later that evening, we all collected for a fine meal and discussion, during which (Big Surprise #2) I was presented with a beautiful signed & presentation boxed commemorative A581 wristwatch by Mr. Liu and the other attendees. The A581 is legendary as China's first large scale commercially available wristwatch.

To all the undersigned, and to everyone at Shanghai Watch Factory, notably to my host Shanghai employees in Hangzhou, and always to the CHA Leaders who support my efforts with such generosity: Thank you more than I have words.

It wasa rainy night in Hangzhou, and we finished dinner quite late. so we made an early night of it--except for a quick jaunt to Hangzhou's famous West Lake/Xi Hu. It was raining steady, as I noted, but at least I can say I've seen West Lake, and it's really pretty even in the dark, in the wet.

Next up: the new Shanghai Watch Factory Museum,