Living the sports dream in Hangzhou

Editor's note: The 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou will help enhance mutual understanding among people in Asia. Apart from being a green Asian Games, it will also showcase China's modernization as well as traditional Chinese culture. Hangzhou has also made plans to integrate the infrastructure for the Asiad with its urban development. Three experts share their views on the issue with China Daily.

Living in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province for two years (2016-17) was an unexpected delight. The city has always been known as one of the best, most famous and beautiful cities to live in. Back in the "good old days", it was a four-hour drive from Shanghai. Now it takes 45 minutes to cover the 180 kilometers by a high-speed train.

During my two-year stay in Hangzhou, we used to hop into our car to explore the lovely landscapes of Zhejiang, and often drove down to the Thousand Islets Lake. We were never disappointed. I even performed a solo jazz piano concert at the splendid Hangzhou Grand Theater near the Qiantang River whose annual tidal bores were always a tourist's favorite.