Crowds line both banks of the Hai River under Shizilin Bridge, and a retired neighbor in swim trunks cracks a joke for them before he dives. Downstream, friends share a bench by the water at dusk, and later a crosstalk duo in long gowns trades puns in a teahouse while the room laughs on cue.
Beyond the river, the villas of the Five Great Avenues line quiet, tree-shaded streets, and Ancient Culture Street fills with old-style shopfronts and snack stalls. Summers are hot and rainy, while winters turn cold, dry and windy. A Local Friend walks beside you instead of leading the way, happy to stop wherever a crowd starts laughing.
