In keeping with my intention to stay out of overcrowded cities as much as possible, my first destination striking out on my own was Hangzhou's West Lake. It was mostly man made between the 9th and 12th centuries when silt filled the port that had made it the largest city in the world. Tranquility abounds, as do other man-made structures – pagodas, temples, gardens, causeways and docks. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, it has been frequently featured by poets and artists through the ages.