Where People Live

Part of my mission here in Hangzhou is to see where people live.  I connected with a real estate agent who agreed to take us to a couple of apartments so we could get an idea of where international people, or expats, live.

The first one he took us to was a very nice apartment complex that is frequented by foreigners.  Our introduction to the place was an outdoor bar area on a black deck.  Oddly enough, no one was there!  Could it be the heat?!?  

There were six buildings surrounding the beautiful outdoor areas.

The indoor pool, heated, but probably not to the temperature we are accustomed to.

This was the view from the ninth floor apartment overlooking the river and the area where the international school is.  There were only two apartments on the floor and each one had a private antechamber with a water fountain.

The living room.  There was a big screen TV and surround sound on the wall not visible.

The dining room is part of the living room.  Notice the chairs?  We have the same ones at home.

The big, beautiful, western style kitchen with big, beautiful, western style appliances.

The Ayi's quarters.  She would have her own very small room and very small bathroom.

This was the balcony off the kitchen.  The washer/dryer combo machine is outside.  The Ayi's room is on the balcony too.  The realtor assured me it was heated and air-conditioned too.

The guest bedroom/office.  You can't see the desk, but it's there.

The guest bedroom/office's bathroom.

A child's room.

Another bedroom.

The master bedroom is huge and has floor to ceiling windows on three sides.

 The master tub in the master bath.  Kind of reminds me of home . . . if we had a master bathroom with a master tub.

Off the master bedroom is a master balcony with a master BBQ!

On our way out, we walked past the outdoor pool, which was gorgeous, but empty.  Too hot maybe?

The second apartment was in a complex with eight buildings surrounding the common area.  A lovely little stream meandered through with lots of trees and even some grass, complete with "Do Not Walk on the Grass" signs.

This area was skyscraperville.  There were many complexes in this area.  It was also right across the street from the international school.

This was the living and dining room.  The furniture in these apartments varied as each one was furnished by the owner.  The first apartment was furnished by the building manager, and so would similar from apartment to apartment.  In this second building, the quality of the furniture would really vary.

A child's room.

The view across the river to the area where the first apartment was.  You can see the massive Chinese school below which is beside the international school, not pictured.  You can also see the beginning of the hills of Hangzhou on the left.  If this apartment faced a different direction, you would have a view of the West Lake and the hills.

The master bedroom.

Another view of the master bedroom.

The guest bedroom/office, although there was no actual bed in there.

A view out the other side of the apartment.

A child's room.

The kitchen was a little small.  Definitely a one person area.  There was no oven in this apartment, but there was a microwave and a dish sanitiser.

The view from the kitchen balcony where the washer/dryer was housed.  The international school is the collection of white buildings with blue roofs below.

This was the other end of the kitchen.  That's not an oven below the stove, but rather the dish sanitiser.  No dishwasher!

And that was the end of our house snooping adventure.