Soul of the city
From experiencing tomorrow, today; to feeling the heartbeat of old China, Hangzhou is a rarity where the unfaltering national push towards future finally calls a timeout. Rich in history and culture spanning over 2000 years, this ancient capital near Shanghai is still a bit low-key. You find the soul of China here; in the mists and reflections on the lake, in the age old teahouses and distant pagodas and pavilions. It’s not the beauty of the city that sets it apart but the tranquility with which it carries itself. You feel something change, a nothingness washing over and setting you free. Here, I decided to be a little aimless. And my instincts took me wherever they wanted. Roaming around the lush and uber-large campus of Zhejiang University, shown around by a Croatian student learning Mandarin there, felt a great way to start. There, a group of Chinese students, welcomed me for a cup of tea. I was about to pass, when my Croatian friend elbowed me and told, “Chinese d...