Lotus Pavilion at Xiang Lake in Midsummer

After the plum rain season in Hangzhou, the weather has shifted from 'steaming' to 'grilling' mode, with temperatures soaring above 38 degrees Celsius. It is expected to reach around 40 degrees over the weekend. The lack of rain in recent days has caused the temperature to rise gradually. However, one thing to be happy about is that the blue sky and white clouds have also accompanied the high temperatures, attracting many photographers with their long lenses to the West Lake. In such high temperatures, if you want to photograph the lotus flowers at Xiang Lake over the weekend, you have to get up early. However, when I arrived at the Lotus Pavilion, a well-known lotus viewing spot at Xiang Lake, before 7 o'clock, the sun was already high in the sky. Looking eastward, I couldn't even open my eyes due to the strong light, so I could only shoot with the light. Fortunately, the lotus flowers were in full bloom, and the scene of 'endless green lotus leaves stretching to the sky' under the blue sky and white clouds was perfect for taking great photos. The biggest highlights of the Lotus Pavilion are, first, a long corridor in the lake that winds and twists close to the lotus flowers. Walking along it, you can truly experience the zero distance between water and flowers, and you can take both distant and close-up shots. Second, the surrounding buildings provide excellent backgrounds, including the Lotus Picking Bridge, Dunshuo Pavilion, Fenghe Pavilion, Zhao Yun Pavilion, and the wooden bridge spanning the lake. No wonder many people come here early in the morning to pose for photos, and I even encountered a couple dressed as anime characters. A friendly reminder: the Lotus Pavilion at Xiang Lake is located in the first phase of Xiang Lake, not far from the Kua Lake Bridge. It is recommended to drive there and navigate directly to 'Lotus Pavilion Parking Lot.' The lotus blooming period is expected to last until early August, and the recommended time to visit in midsummer is from 6:00 to 7:00.