Tale of two cities(2)

Nanjing's city walls. [Photos by gao erqiang/shanghai star]

You can walk right up to the gate. Stretch out and warm up along the 500-meter lane into the lake and take a left turn upon reaching the Ying Islet for an 8-km run.

Quitters may turn right at the junction and opt for a leisurely 3-km walk, with the option to chill out on the lake-side benches or jump into a pedal boat at the pier and cruise on the lake.

The 8-km route covers the three islands that cut right through the middle of the lake.

If you still have some energy left, you can circle the islands and check out the Chinese imperial-style gardens, towers and temples hidden in "a peaceful haven of weeping willows".

Post-workout snacking choices are slim at the park. But if you feel that you have pushed yourself hard enough to justify the occasional junk food binge, or if you are a flexible dieter, the ever-ubiquitous Golden Arches are there to serve.

The Xuanwu Lake, dubbed the "Pearl of the Stone City", is a green sanctuary for urban dwellers in Nanjing, who like to visit for the fresh air.

"Xuanwu Lake is one of a few green touches in a city that is a grey mass. It has not only a physical, but a psychological significance to people here, for it makes you feel better knowing that there is always a place to escape to," a Nanjing friend of mine says.

The lake was chosen by the city government as a venue for the triathlon, canoeing and rowing for the Nanjing Youth Olympics in August, which had the theme "green and sustainable". A true commitment to the concept would be to keep the city's sky blue after the 14-day meeting so there is never an excuse not to go jogging.

To go the extra mile, the city government could keep the rowing facilities at the lake and build a rowing club there, so that people in Nanjing will have one more sport and I will have one more reason to visit.

If you go

The bullet train from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to Nanjing takes about one hour and 40 minutes and costs 139.5 yuan ($23) for a ticket.