鄭劍瑾
在杭州的七年時間里,意大利小伙個天(本名Gentian)跑遍了浙江的山水。他愛運動,喜歡跑步、騎車、潛水……“我喜歡浙江、喜歡杭州,更喜歡這里的山水,如果可以,我想一直在杭州住下去,這是我一步步跑出來的緣分?!?/p>
我希望可以在這里定居
2020年10月17日,杭州上城區(qū)玉皇山南基金小鎮(zhèn),2020杭州大宋108公里越野賽現(xiàn)場,個天這個來自異國的選手第22個沖過終點線。“3小時14分27秒?!边^線后,個天彎下了腰:“膝蓋不太好,帶著傷跑,成績沒有去年好,去年可是拿了季軍呢。不過這并不影響我對這些山山水水的熱愛。我和浙江的緣分可都是一步步跑出來的呢?!?/p>
2012年第一次來杭州待了一年后,個天去了烏克蘭;2014年再次來到杭州后,這一待就是7年?!拔蚁矚g浙江,喜歡這里的山水。杭州有很好的大學(xué),有美好的風(fēng)景,還有各種本地菜和國外的美食,沒有城市比這里更適合生活了?!?/p>
個天愛運動,不是簡單的喜歡,而是極致的熱愛。他每周都要騎行、爬山、跑步、踢足球,而杭州這個美麗的地方也滿足了他對各種運動的需求。“只要有空我每天早上都會起來去西湖邊跑步,清晨六點多的西湖非常美,跳舞唱歌的老人,還有香噴噴的油條和餛飩;我經(jīng)常騎車去龍井山,7分05秒就可以騎到山頂;杭州的千島湖也很不錯,在環(huán)湖綠道騎行讓人心曠神怡。”
不僅西湖、龍井、虎跑等地名張口就來,浙江省內(nèi)各地的馬拉松也是個天必打卡的運動項目。杭州馬拉松、橫店馬拉松、奉化馬拉松、諸暨馬拉松、舟山馬拉松……“溫州、臺州、寧海、舟山、湖州、嘉興、海寧、麗水……只要有時間,只要有比賽,我都會過去。2018年12月10日參加的諸暨西施馬拉松比賽,是我參加過的最美的一場比賽。那天正好遇到下雪,在白色的雪地里跑步,這種體驗感真的太棒了!”
“相比較城市馬拉松,我更喜歡越野型的比賽??吹靡娚?,望得到水,不僅可以挑戰(zhàn)自己,在運動的時候我整個人都是放松的。這些年,我越跑越喜歡浙江,我和這里的緣分,都是一步步跑出來的?!?個天告訴記者,“繁華的城市建設(shè)、極美的生活環(huán)境、優(yōu)秀的學(xué)府,杭州真的滿足了我的所有要求。假如要在全中國找一個城市定居,那肯定是杭州”。
安吉的竹子好看好用又好吃
在個天的記憶中,印象最深的一次是騎行到湖州安吉,看著大片大片的竹海他震驚了?!拔业谝淮慰吹竭B綿的竹海,整座山上都是竹子,翠綠翠綠的;我也是第一次看到當(dāng)?shù)厝瞬烧团腼儭迈r的竹子’。他們告訴我,竹子可以做成睡覺用的竹席、吃飯的筷子、放筆的筆筒以及各種有用的東西,神奇的是,它被做成菜肴后真的很美味,尤其和肉一起燉煮,我可以多吃一碗米飯?!?/p>
在記者的科普下,個天終于明白“成年”的竹子并不能食用,只有在竹子“小時候”被稱作筍時,才能加工成各種菜品?!爸褡幼屛覍φ憬挠∠笥趾昧撕芏?,大大地加分。我很希望我的家鄉(xiāng)也可以擁有如此美麗、有用和美味的東西?!?/p>
從安吉出來,個天騎車前往太湖源風(fēng)景區(qū)以及天目山自然保護區(qū)。“太湖源風(fēng)景區(qū)里有很多的參天大樹、瀑布和石壁,一望過去山巒連綿,水又特別清澈。在那邊騎行的時候,我還看到了很多從沒有見過的鳥類和爬行動物?!?/p>
仙都國家級風(fēng)景名勝區(qū)也是個天非常喜歡的騎行目的地?!拔页俗哞F到麗水后,兩天時間里在風(fēng)景區(qū)以及附近騎了200多公里。騎行結(jié)束,我和騎友在河里游泳。其實我覺得麗水和衢州之間的山脈區(qū)域真的非常適合露營?!?/p>
在個天眼中,麗水和衢州不僅有山有水,也有歷代文人墨客、達官顯貴留下的無數(shù)文化財產(chǎn)。尤其是仙都的縉云山,素有“黃山之奇、華山之險、桂林之秀”的美譽;而衢州有氣勢壯觀的龍游石窟,鬼斧神工的江郎山,原汁原味的藥王山,古色古香的廿八都,極其清幽的天脊龍門……確實很符合休閑觀光和露營。
“我的國家并不像浙江這樣,擁有如此多美麗的地方和令人印象深刻的美食。我真的太愛這里了?!眰€天哈哈大笑。
告訴國外的朋友浙里很美
在中國的近10年里,個天的第一次中國年、第一次春晚、第一次喝白酒、第一個紅包都讓他記憶猶新?!按汗?jié)的時候路上空蕩蕩,這些人都去哪里了呢?這曾讓我覺得困惑又神奇。按照中國的屬相,我就是那只可愛的小兔子。我吃遍了各地的美食,我還知道中國喜歡6和8這兩個數(shù)字?!?/p>
雖然普通話講得不怎么樣,但個天對中國的民間習(xí)俗倒是很了解。“我學(xué)會了做麻婆豆腐和宮保雞丁,我很喜歡吃東坡肉,比起我家鄉(xiāng)的面包面條,中國的食物簡直太豐盛了。我經(jīng)常騎車100多公里到?jīng)]人知道的小村子,有時就為了吃一種當(dāng)?shù)氐狞c心或者一碗面條。記得在安吉時,我在一個叫做雙一村的地方吃了油炸小魚。這是一種只有當(dāng)?shù)匦∠锊庞械囊吧~,經(jīng)過油炸后松脆可口,如果不是下午要騎車,可以喝點小酒,那簡直太棒了。”
跑遍半個中國的個天每次出去都會用視頻記錄自己的旅行日記?!拔覈獾呐笥押图胰硕疾皇呛芰私庵袊?、浙江的情況,我用視頻告訴他們我生活的城市非常美好,我去了哪里玩,我吃了什么,這就是我最真實的生活,我想把這些快樂分享給他們。我告訴他們杭州的南方大肉包價格便宜,下雨天的西湖非常夢幻。2018年7月,我在泰順騎行的時候吃了當(dāng)?shù)孛牢兜拿拙€。我在舟山環(huán)島騎行后,吃了當(dāng)?shù)睾苊牢兜男『ur……”
2019年,個天和幾個朋友合作開了一個工作室。除了組織一些純公益性質(zhì)的體育賽事外,偶爾還會為合作的運動品牌“代言”,寫一些推廣文案?!拔掖髮W(xué)里學(xué)的是公共管理,平時也會寫一些和專業(yè)相關(guān)的學(xué)術(shù)論文。我希望能進入學(xué)校進行教育工作,我想嘗試在浙江、在杭州留下來?!?/p>
個天有一個“大計劃”:從杭州出發(fā),騎車去意大利的羅馬?!叭?0萬公里,每天騎行150公里,總共需要2個月,經(jīng)過新疆、哈沙克斯坦、伊朗……沿著絲綢之路前行,我要去推廣中國文化、浙江文化?!?/p>
Running into a Second Home
By Zheng Jianjin
“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! “
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.”
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.”
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.”