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It must have been fate to find such a delightful place

By Mitrofanova Maria | June 16, 2016, Thursday | Online Edition

HANGZHOU is one of the most beautiful cities in China, one of the most scenic cities that attracts millions of tourists to visit. What is making Hangzhou so special? Why, during holidays, all over the city you will find lots of people discovering all parts of Hangzhou? Well, for every tourist or expat the answer is different.

My story with this city started several years ago back to my university in Russia. That time we just started learning the Chinese language and knowledge about China. Our teacher asked us to make an introduction of some Chinese cities and Hangzhou happened to be mine. In front of the audience full of students I was describing the beauty of Hangzhou by its parks, pagodas, gardens, old streets and newly built high-rise buildings, historic relics and of course the West Lake.

I was amazed more and more and wondering how only one city can combine the natural beauty, heritage of the past and contemporary way of life at the same time.

But that was just the beginning of my story. Later when it was time for us students to go to China for a one-year language course, Hangzhou happened to be my city again. Finally I could see all the places of interest and scenic spots. I could feel how the numerous monuments of the past closely connected with the rhythm of life of a big modern developing city. One year passed very fast and I had to leave Hangzhou with the feeling that it was not enough — that I still have a lot of places to see, a lot of things to do here, that there is something in this city that doesn’t want to let me go.

In Chinese, there is a word yuan fen which means “fate, chance, destiny” and some people really believe that things on earth happen according to yuan fen. I wasn’t that kind of person until my path crossed with Hangzhou again. I came back here after one year and found this city full of changes: subway system construction, new highly developed districts, huge shopping malls with famous brand shops, numerous newly opened restaurants with the cuisines from all over the world. And that’s not the end. Hangzhou has not stopped to amaze me every day. I am sure that my story with Hangzhou is not finished yet and I am wondering what will be the next part of it.

Hangzhou


 

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