"3 hours 14 minutes and 27 seconds," the scoreboard at the 2020 Hangzhou Song Cross Country Race read.

"Not as good as last year, because of my nagging knee problem," panted Gentian Qejvanaj, an Italian expat living in Hangzhou. "I came in third in last year's race! "

Gentian Qejvanaj, aka Ge Tian. Photo by Lin Yunlong.

The first time when Gentian Qejvanaj, who is also known as Ge Tian by his Chinese name, came to Hangzhou in 2012, he stayed for a year before moving to Ukraine. In 2014, he came to Hangzhou again, and this time around, he has stayed for seven years and counting, as he plans to settle in Hangzhou.

"I love Zhejiang and love its mountains, rivers and lakes," said Ge Tian. "There are top universities in Hangzhou, beautiful sceneries, and delicious local cuisine and foreign food — there is no better place to live in than here. If I have to choose one Chinese city to settle down, it would definitely be Hangzhou."

Ge Tian is a sports enthusiast. Not just your average enthusiast who practices sports as a hubby, but someone who devotes his life to sports. Cycling, climbing, running and playing football are just some of his regular activities every week, and Hangzhou happens to be the place that meets his various needs.

"I get up early every morning and go for a run by the West Lake. The West Lake is very beautiful at six o'clock in the morning. There are old people dancing and singing, as well as aromatic fried dough sticks and wontons," Ge Tian observed. "I often ride up to the mountain in Longjing village and it takes me only 7 minutes and 5 seconds to reach the top. The Thousand Island Lake is also very good, and cycling on the green paths around the lake is relaxing and enjoyable."

As well as those must-visit places like West Lake, the Longjing village and the Dreaming of the Tiger Spring, marathon races held in Zhejiang are also must-attend events for Ge Tian. "The Hangzhou marathon, the Hengdian marathon, the Fenghua marathon, the Zhuji marathon, the Zhoushan marathon …" Ge Tian rattled off a list of competitions he had been to. Wenzhou, Taizhou, Ninghai, Zhoushan, Huzhou, Jiaxing, Haining, Lishui … time permitting, he would participate in every race.

"The Zhuji Xishi Marathon on December 10, 2018 was the most beautiful race that I have ever been in," according to Ge Tian. "It was snowing and running amidst snow flakes is so amazing an experience." Compared to urban marathons, Ge Tian likes cross-country ones more, as he can enjoy the landscape at the same time. "I feel totally relaxed when I run in the mountains and along the rivers. In these years, the more I run, the deeper I'm in love with Zhejiang."

Gentian Qejvanaj at a cross-country marathon.

One place that has left an indelible impression on Ge Tian's memory is the Great Bamboo Sea in Huzhou city's Anji county, where he once cycled to. "It was the first time that I had seen a sea of endless bamboo, as the whole mountains were covered with bamboo, full of green," recalled Ge Tian. "It was also the first time I had seen the locals picking and cooking fresh bamboo [shoots]. They told me that bamboo can be made into mats to sleep on, chopsticks to eat with, pen holders, all kinds of useful things. Miraculously, it's really delicious when it's cooked, especially when it's braised with meat, and I can eat an extra bowl of rice with it!"

"Because of bamboo I love Zhejiang even more! And I would love for my hometown to have something so beautiful, useful and delicious." Afterwards, he continued to bike and travel to the Taihu Yuantou Scenic Area and Tianmu Mountain National Nature Reserve. "Towering trees, waterfalls, stone walls, undulating mountains and lucid waters. I also saw many birds and reptiles that I had never seen before."

The Xiandu Scenic Area is another favorite cycling destination for Ge Tian. "After taking the high-speed train to Lishui, I rode for more than 200 kilometers in the scenic spot and around nearby areas in two days, before finishing with a swim together with my fellow cyclists. In fact, I think the mountain area between Lishui and Quzhou is really suitable for camping."

Having been in China for almost a full decade, Ge Tian can still vividly remember celebrating the first Chinese New Year, watching the first Spring Festival Gala, drinking baijiu (Chinese liquor) for the first time and receiving the first red envelope. "Where are all these people during the Chinese New Year when the roads are empty?" he asked rhetorically. "According to the Chinese zodiac, I am a cute rabbit!"

Although he is still improving on speaking Mandarin, Ge Tian is quite familiar with Chinese folk customs. "I learned how to make Mapo Tofu and Kung Pao Chicken. I love Dongpo Pork, and compared to my hometown, the Chinese food is so rich," as a gourmet, Ge Tian simply couldn't stop when speaking of delicacies. "I often cycle more than 100 kilometers to small villages that no one knows about, sometimes just to try local snacks or a bowl of noodles. I remember once eating crispy fried fish in a place called Shuangyi village when I was in Anji. It's a kind of wild fish only found in local creeks. If not for fear of 'drinking riding', it would have been even better with some alcohol."

Gentian Qejvanaj on his bicycle in Gansu province.

Indeed, Ge Tian has already traveled around half of China. He would record his every trip in videos and put them up in his vlog. "My friends and family still need to know more about China and about Zhejiang," Ge Tian explained. "I’m just telling them that the city I live in is an amazing place, where I've traveled and what I've eaten. This is my real and happy life, which I’d like to share with them." The cheap and meat-stuffed steamed buns in Hangzhou, the delicious rice noodles in Wenzhou's Taishun county, the irresistible seafood in Zhoushan …

In 2019, Ge Tian teamed up with several friends and opened a studio, organizing charity sports events and helping marketing sports brands. He has a "grand plan": He will cycle from Hangzhou, all the way to Rome, Italy. "The whole journey is about 100,000 kilometers, and if I cover 150 kilometers a day, it will take two months," Ge Tian was full of anticipation. "Through Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, Iran ... along the Silk Road. I'm going to promote Chinese culture, and Zhejiang culture." 

Editor: Li Qiaoqiao