Qingdao Part 1

Mid-Autumn Festival.  Four day weekend!!  Two days on the coast in the city of Qingdao. Yes, the town famous for Tsingtao beer.

The city is a seacoast city in Shandong Province and most famous for the fact that it was the German Concession in China.  The Germans left their architectural mark. Here's the former Governor's house.  It's a great juxtaposition to see this stone European style building with a Chinese flag flying from it.

The facade of the Governor's house, which faces the water.  JPC and I stayed in The Castle Hotel, about 100 meters down the hill, which was the former German Consulate.

Not the best picture, but this is an attempt at Raphael's Madonna on the rocks.  The artist did a pretty good job....except the eyes are clearly Asian.

The view down to the water...with the ever present crane.  So CHINA.

It's Germany so there has to be beer!

The symbol of "old Qingdao" is the long pier leading to the pagoda in the harbor.  After years of waves, storms and tides, the pier washed away in June 2013.  It is being rebuilt.

Our trip to Qingdao was made ever better by having a local guide, Weiyou, who was introduced to us by our Beijing friend, Tao.  Weiyou drove us everywhere with such patience and willingness!  Plus we learned so many great things about him!  Yes, I'm wearing my new yellow athletic shoes.

And over in "modern" Qingdao....a light show.  This is the TV tower.  The colors change.

This is the symbol of "modern" Qingdao, "The Wind of May", memorializing the May 4th, 1919 movement.

I thought this was created reuse of a double decker bus.  Order downstairs.  Eat upstairs.

 

Then onto dinner at Ayi Liu's Kitchen (43 Guangxi Road) as recommended to me by my friends David and Anny.  Here we are in negotiation for the crabs.

Myself and the owner.  Why is it that Chinese people ALWAYS have to ask "So what do you think about Qingdao?", "What do you think about our food?", "What do you think about this dish?"  It became such a theme on this trip that everyone we met wanted so much confirmation of our liking of anything.  Why do Chinese need so much praise?  Weiyou kept asking us, as did the owner of the restaurant.

This guy was a waiter....but just cool.  He didn't need reassurance.  Always a smile and a calm demeanor.  He instantly became my favorite guy of the evening. And he looks like a young Deng Xiaoping, according to those at the restaurant.

My discard pile.  BUT....I think it may have started the stomach problems I experienced the next day.  But at this point, it was just an amazing seafood dinner.  Clams! Sea Snails! Crab! Scallops! Shrimp!  Fish Dumplings! Qingdao Beer!