After the Virtuous Quzhou cruise ship sailed along the Qiantang River from Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, to Quzhou May 16, it was welcomed back home two days later.

"I finally took the cruise home. A dream of 32 years finally came true." said Lao Hongjian, the captain with 32 years of shipping experience and a local resident of Quzhou.

"When I used to sail on the Qiantang River, I always wondered when I would take the cruise ship to my hometown. Now, my dream has come true."

Lao began to climb his career ladder in the shipping industry in 1988, and in 2011 he took up a position as a captain at a public water sightseeing bus company in Hangzhou.

"Hongchuandou ship lock in Longyou county in Quzhou is one of the routes I really want to know the inside structure of, and finally I took a good look this time when the ship passed it," said Lao  as he stood on deck and looked up at the high sluice gates.

The route of the cruise is often known as "Poetry Road", which fills in the gap in Quzhou's aquatic cruise products, promotes the revival of Qujiang River channel water transport after thousands of years, and realizes the Quzhou people's long-held dream of "a cruise heading to Quzhou".

Lao Hongjian, the captain of the Virtuous Quzhou cruise ship sails it back to his hometown, Quzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/qz96811.com]