Tim felt very satisfied when he returned to Hangzhou. Photo provided to Hangzhoufeel
By Tim Vukan
When I finally returned to Hangzhou on March 7 after 3 long years' being out of the country, I found that the city had changed a lot.
While walking around, I was very amazed by its new buildings and modern shopping malls. The choices of local restaurants are upgraded greatly. It seems that the life quality after the pandemic has reached a very high level.
I was also very surprised to see many new western brands like cafes that had settled down in town and already became very well integrated into the city life. These changes have given the city a vigorous look of a very modern metropolitan, especially the restoration of some cultural sites and some traditional arts, such as the tea and silk art. They are nicely integrated into the modern shops where many newly designed products are sold.
Besides, I realized that people had changed after the pandemic.
I had been living in Hangzhou for more than 13 years before the pandemic started. Compared with the previous years, many young people in Hangzhou tend to spend their spare time in the nearby parks and mountains to enjoy life and get refreshed. They tend to choose bikes and other environmentally friendly ways of travelling. It seems that people tend to enjoy a spare time of their own and take some rest from the daily hustles and bustles.
I also see many new healthcare-related products recommended on my WeChat moments. Many of these products convey traditional ideas with a modern design or a modern look. For example, a portable moxibustion patch which is believed to have the functions of improving blood circulation, relieving stagnations and pains is made into an easy portable product to adopt to the busy modern life. People can use the patch for a healthcare purpose on a trip or anywhere else instead of going to an acupuncture clinic.
What a lot of changes in Hangzhou! I would like to explore more.