Spanish travel blogger Sergi Unanue enjoys the nighttime landscape of West Lake. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

Spanish travel blogger Sergi Unanue visited East China's Zhejiang province from Aug 22 to 25 for an international cultural exchange event that was organized by the provincial culture and tourism authorities.

Despite a trip lasting less than 72 hours, he experienced both Zhejiang's ancient traditions and its modern innovations, with capital city Hangzhou as the clear highlight.

Unanue takes photos at Lingyin Temple. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

Unanue's journey began at Hangzhou's Lingyin Temple, a prominent Buddhist temple located to the northwest of the city's landmark West Lake, where he joined local visitors in lighting incense and praying, calling it "a doorway into Chinese culture".

In the evening, he took a boat ride to Xiaoyingzhou Island, an artificial island created in the middle of West Lake. There, he experienced Song-Dynasty (960-1279)-style tea ceremonies, music and performances, recreating the refined gatherings of Chinese literati. He was struck by the shared passion for life between Chinese and Spanish cultures, remarking: "The Chinese are really cool."

Unanue tests the Zhejiang Travel mobile app on arrival in Hangzhou — using AI tools for translation and itinerary planning around West Lake and Lingyin Temple. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

The following day in Hangzhou, Unanue visited the China National Silk Museum and a futuristic factory operated by Robam, a home appliances leader in China.

The AI-powered kitchen equipment particularly impressed him. "It feels like science fiction — cooking with artificial intelligence," he declared. Unanue even drew from it some inspiration to rethink how he prepares Spain's traditional grilled leeks.

Though brief, the visit left him with lasting impressions: "In Zhejiang, I saw profound history and cutting-edge technology. I want to share these fascinating stories with my family and friends," he added.

Unanue learns how to make Chinese pastries at the futuristic factory run by Robam. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]

Unanue picks up recipe recommendations from an AI model at Robam. [Photo/tidenews.com.cn]