All along the line

During his excursions along the Central Axis, Soto was also amazed by the museum of Chinese traditional medicine and Lu Xun's old residence on the folk custom route.

"It was really impressive to see all these herbs and other ingredients together at the museum and to learn about acupuncture," he says.

"It's also interesting to see how the author Lu Xun influenced Chinese society."

Soto got to be the host on the Central Axis trends route at the end of the tourism festival.

He went to Shichahai, Wangfujing, Xianyukou, Yangmeizhu Xiejie, and other trendy destinations along the Central Axis, and interviewed foreigners.

"These places are ideal for young people to enjoy food, music, performances and exhibitions, as well as shopping and just strolling around," he says.

"We found that foreigners are impressed by Beijing, and find it a very diverse and cultural city, with a lot of fun stuff to do, from bars and restaurants to museums and galleries."

Soto himself gained a lot of knowledge about culture and folklore in the capital through the youth tourism festival.

"Through this event, I learned how important each of these places was when Beijing was the capital of Imperial China and the many fascinating stories behind them. Now my feelings for Beijing are deeper, as well as my understanding of Beijing," he says.

Soto believes that the next event will be even more exciting.

"At that time, I will not only participate in it myself, but also invite my friends. I believe this is not the end, but a new beginning," he says.

yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn