So much to say about Qingdao. So many great sites, so much good seafood, so many great people. I really liked the city. It is a much more affluent city than Qufu, not to mention much larger, and it is very clean. By Chinese standards, Qingdao is very clean. The water looked a little iffy, but it was a lot of fun nonetheless.
But first, a couple lines about the weekend before Qingdao. Shawn, Jason, a freshman, and I tried to go see the Confucius ceremonies at the temple. However, they were exclusive events meant only for those of the Kong family (descendants of Confucius), religious dignitaries, and government officials. We also missed the actual ceremony, but it was being broadcast on CCTV, which was interesting to watch. It seemed like a very beautiful and ceremonial event. I just wish I could have seen it in person, or at least heard the music coming from the temple.
But first, a couple lines about the weekend before Qingdao. Shawn, Jason, a freshman, and I tried to go see the Confucius ceremonies at the temple. However, they were exclusive events meant only for those of the Kong family (descendants of Confucius), religious dignitaries, and government officials. We also missed the actual ceremony, but it was being broadcast on CCTV, which was interesting to watch. It seemed like a very beautiful and ceremonial event. I just wish I could have seen it in person, or at least heard the music coming from the temple.
After walking around some more, we all got hungry. So we decided to stop at a baozi shop for lunch. The baozi looked really good and were cheap. We each got 2. They had vegetables, noodles, and meat in them.
I also got a soup that was similar to egg drop soup that one would find in America. It had seaweed, cilantro, and tiny shrimp in it. It did not have a lot of taste, but it was still good.
That night, most of us in the apartments decided to go to the hostel for drinks and to hang out with people. We all took our e-bikes and went cruising around. I did not crash this time and we all made it safe to and from there. Some of us played games of pool and others talked with people staying at the hostel. It was a nice way to end a Saturday evening.
At about 7 on Sunday, I awoke to the sound of things banging against my window and lots of things being dropped and hammered on the roof. Since I live on the top floor, the noises were really loud. I looked out my window and to my amazement, saw wheelbarrow loads of cinderblocks going up to the roof. Turns out they are doing some repairs and construction on the roof and failed to mention it to us. We will have to endure more of it in the coming days when everyone returns to life here on campus. But that is China for you, always some sort of construction going on somewhere.
At about 7 on Sunday, I awoke to the sound of things banging against my window and lots of things being dropped and hammered on the roof. Since I live on the top floor, the noises were really loud. I looked out my window and to my amazement, saw wheelbarrow loads of cinderblocks going up to the roof. Turns out they are doing some repairs and construction on the roof and failed to mention it to us. We will have to endure more of it in the coming days when everyone returns to life here on campus. But that is China for you, always some sort of construction going on somewhere.
NOW FOR THE MAIN EVENT: QINGDAO!!!
Makenzi and I took a bus to the train station. We had to show ID and tickets to get in, go through security. We decided to buy some small snacks for the ride and then stand in line to get to the platform. After some confusion about which line we should have been in, we got through and got in our car. Since we did not buy the tickets together, we were not sitting together. But, all of a sudden, the train started to move, but not everyone had found their seat. So, it was hectic trying to move past people with lots of luggage, women with babies, and many other people who would not move out of the aisle. Finally, we got our seats and it was a short ride to Jinan. Like I think I mentioned in another post, we had only bought tickets to Jinan. We tried to find the conductor to give the pieces of paper Peter had written, but we could not find him. Luckily, Makenzi had sat next to a nice guy who could speak English and he helped us find the conductor and pay for the rest of the way. It was 121.5 yuan for the remainder of the trip from Jinan to Qingdao. However, there were no seats until about Weifan, so we had to stand for about an hour and a half. After Weifan, there were many seats so we sat down. I took a nap and woke up in Qingdao.
Makenzi and I took a bus to the train station. We had to show ID and tickets to get in, go through security. We decided to buy some small snacks for the ride and then stand in line to get to the platform. After some confusion about which line we should have been in, we got through and got in our car. Since we did not buy the tickets together, we were not sitting together. But, all of a sudden, the train started to move, but not everyone had found their seat. So, it was hectic trying to move past people with lots of luggage, women with babies, and many other people who would not move out of the aisle. Finally, we got our seats and it was a short ride to Jinan. Like I think I mentioned in another post, we had only bought tickets to Jinan. We tried to find the conductor to give the pieces of paper Peter had written, but we could not find him. Luckily, Makenzi had sat next to a nice guy who could speak English and he helped us find the conductor and pay for the rest of the way. It was 121.5 yuan for the remainder of the trip from Jinan to Qingdao. However, there were no seats until about Weifan, so we had to stand for about an hour and a half. After Weifan, there were many seats so we sat down. I took a nap and woke up in Qingdao.
We took a car to the hostel, which cost us 50 yuan. At the time it did not seem like much and the distance was quite a bit, but afterwards we found out that we were cheated out of a lot of money and that the train station and the hostel were relatively close to one another. We got to the hostel, paid, went to the room, dropped off our things, and wandered around a little bit. It was a really nice hostel. The bathrooms were western style, but still did not have paper in them. There were some sinks outside the bathrooms as well, for washing hands.
Both Makenzi and I were hungry, so we walked around a little bit and saw a shop with pictures. We ordered some food. I ended up getting malatang again. It was different than the one in Qufu and had more spice to it. I still liked it and it left a nice tingly feeling from the spices.
After dinner, we walked around for a little bit and Makenzi bought some peanut butter. We had to go back to the hostel but were kind of lost, so we took a taxi back.
For the rest of the evening, we sat in the bar, listened to music, talked with many wonderful people, played many rounds of pool and foosball, and I ate Sachertorte. The cake was ok, but the evening was very nice. We met three girls who go to school in Hohhot, in Inner Mongolia. They said that we could go with them to do things the next day so we decided to meet up at 8am. A wonderful start to a great holiday.
Makenzi and I got up and ready to meet people the next morning, but ended up waiting for over an hour for the girls to come downstairs. We took a bus and walked a little bit to a van, parked off the side of a road. We bought tickets from the van for 150 yuan. At the time, it seemed like a lot of money for something we did not completely understand, but as it turns out, it was an amazing deal. For that price we got entry into the Qingdao Ocean World, which is like an aquarium, two Sea World-esque shows, and a ferry ride around the Qingdao coast. We got on another bus and went to the Polar Ocean World, which was both depressing and exciting at the same time. The animals were kept in really small areas and looked very braindead. There were signs that said no flash photography and no tapping on the glass, but nobody paid any attention to them. However, just the thrill of being in the aquarium and seeing some of the animals was enough to make me smile and enjoy the experience.
After all the excitement of the aquarium and the shows, we got something to eat. We went to noodle restaurant, where we got noodle bowls in a soy sauce broth with some slices of meat. I thought they were ok, but were a little expensive.
After that, we took the bus part way back to the hostel. We walked the rest of the way and met some nice stray cats. Upon arriving to the hostel, we all got some cake slices. I got an apple cake and others got Sachertorte, Black Forest cake, and chocolate cake. Mine was a little dry, but it was ok. Makenzi and I had pizzas as well, since it will be a long time before we can have western food again. I got a pepperoni pizza that had olives and pesto on it. I liked it. The girls ended up ordering a pizza and they put ketchup on it! I was very surprised. But they said that it tasted better with ketchup on it. Each to their own, I suppose.
Makenzi retired early, but I stayed down in the lounge of the hostel with the girls, played pool, and figured out what to do for the remainder of the holiday. As it turned out, Tuesday was the actual National Day, but there were no celebrations. Or at least none that we saw. However, elsewhere in the country, like Beijing, there were very big celebrations for the holiday.
Wednesday was a day of lots of walking around. We got up and went to do the ferry ride. We took a bus and went to the ferry. The ride was very nice and the breeze was pleasant. The girls took silly pictures imitating Rose and Jack from Titanic and we all just enjoyed the view.
Wednesday was a day of lots of walking around. We got up and went to do the ferry ride. We took a bus and went to the ferry. The ride was very nice and the breeze was pleasant. The girls took silly pictures imitating Rose and Jack from Titanic and we all just enjoyed the view.
After the ride was over, we walked around Qingdao for the rest of the day. Since Qingdao was Germany's colonial city in China, it has a European feeling about it. Some of the architecture is German and there are a few churches in the old part of the city which strongly resemble those found in Europe. We mostly walked along the coastline. We saw the beaches, where people were playing in the tide pools, looking for crabs and other creatures. There are areas where people can go down to the water and walk along it, which is what I did for a little bit. We took a bus and went to the other side of the coast, where we went by the Olympic Sailing Centre, where they held the sailing event for the Beijing games. We were hungry, so we stopped in a 7 Eleven and got lunch. I got a bento (Japanese term), which had a calamari side and a tomato and egg dish. I also got baozi, with a sweet pork and vegetable filling. All of it was very good, being from a convenience store. After lunch, we walked around some more and there were many people flying kites. There were also many statues and pieces of neat art that made the city area seem more western than something that one would find in China. Some people in the group wanted to get coffee, so we found a cafe. I got a blueberry drink that was carbonated and had some blueberries in it. I liked it and thought it was refreshing. After that, we passed a sailing museum, but since none of us wanted to go it, we walked along a pier that went to a lighthouse. Along the way, we stopped to enjoy the ocean and the view was very pretty. There were many couples getting married and taking photos along the pier. Many of the girls were in white, western dresses and the men had on tuxedos. The views of the city and of the ocean were absolutely fantastic and the weather could not have been more perfect.
After walking around all day, we took the bus back to the hostel. Makenzi and I had to change hotels, since we booked two nights at one and two at another. By this time, Shawn and Jason were in Qingdao and we met up with them for dinner. We had seafood. I had some clams and squid, both of which were good. The clams were in a garlic sauce and the squid was in some sot of salty sauce.
After dinner, all four of us walked to the hostel, since the guys had no place to stay. The moment I walked into the hostel, I could tell that it had a lot of character. The owner was very nice and helpful. Makenzi and I checked in, and although the owner did not have any more rooms, he offered to let the guys sleep in his shop on cots for a reduced price. Makenzi and I went up to our room to drop things off before going back to the other hostel to meet up with our friends. The beds were traditional beds and the ceiling was a little low. Makenzi could not stand up and I had maybe an inch between my head and the ceiling. The hostel was a shop in the daytime, which explained all of the things in the front part of it. Before Makenzi and I left, the guys and the owner went to buy a bag of beer. We all shared the beer as a welcome to the hostel. The guys stayed with the owner whilst Makenzi and I left to meet up with our friends.
We walked back to the other hostel, where we met up with our friends and were invited to go dancing. The three Chinese girls and I went, whilst Makenzi stayed behind to meet up with Jason and Shawn later. Dancing was fine, but we ended up at a bar for the rest of the evening, just talking amongst ourselves and with others. I returned to the hostel at about four in the morning.
Makenzi and I woke up later than we had planned. We were going to climb Laoshan. We finally got going and we tried to catch the bus to the mountain, but every bus was jampacked. We finally got on one, but we had to stand for an hour through Qingdao traffic and with all the other people wanting to go to the mountain. I found a seat and fell asleep for about 45 minutes. I woke up to us arriving at the mountain. Since it was just the two of us, and neither of us speak Chinese, we had an interesting time trying to figure out what to do. Mostly we followed the crowds and used my phone to translate the signs. Tickets to go up the mountain were 130 yuan each. We had to again fight for a spot on a bus to take us to the base of the mountain. Finally, we got spots and the ride up was very pretty. Lots of trees and ocean to look at. Turns out we also sat on the right side of the bus for lots of photo ops. Once we got there, we walked around and enjoyed the views. We went up to a little white marble pagoda and looked out at the ocean. It was again a very nice day, so the views were simply fantastic. We walked around some more and then finally found the trail that led to the summit. However, since it took us so long to get there and figure out what we were doing, we only went up the trail for about 15 minutes before having to turn around and come back. Oh well. That will be on the to-do list when I visit Qingdao again. Our attempts to catch a bus back to the hostel were again very stressful, since so many people were trying to catch the same buses. But finally, we caught a bus and came back.
Makenzi and I woke up later than we had planned. We were going to climb Laoshan. We finally got going and we tried to catch the bus to the mountain, but every bus was jampacked. We finally got on one, but we had to stand for an hour through Qingdao traffic and with all the other people wanting to go to the mountain. I found a seat and fell asleep for about 45 minutes. I woke up to us arriving at the mountain. Since it was just the two of us, and neither of us speak Chinese, we had an interesting time trying to figure out what to do. Mostly we followed the crowds and used my phone to translate the signs. Tickets to go up the mountain were 130 yuan each. We had to again fight for a spot on a bus to take us to the base of the mountain. Finally, we got spots and the ride up was very pretty. Lots of trees and ocean to look at. Turns out we also sat on the right side of the bus for lots of photo ops. Once we got there, we walked around and enjoyed the views. We went up to a little white marble pagoda and looked out at the ocean. It was again a very nice day, so the views were simply fantastic. We walked around some more and then finally found the trail that led to the summit. However, since it took us so long to get there and figure out what we were doing, we only went up the trail for about 15 minutes before having to turn around and come back. Oh well. That will be on the to-do list when I visit Qingdao again. Our attempts to catch a bus back to the hostel were again very stressful, since so many people were trying to catch the same buses. But finally, we caught a bus and came back.
After resting on the bus, we decided to go hang out with all of our friends one last time before we all left for our respective homes. We met up with three other people and went for some dinner. Along the way we bought some bags o' beer. Tsingtao beer is brewed in Qingdao and many shops in the area have large kegs to which the owners can attach spickets. They pour the beer into a plastic bag and weigh it. One pays the price of the beer by the weight. I am pretty sure each bag was at least 36 to 60 oz. of beer. But it only cost 5 yuan a bag! The first place we went to was known as "Beer Mamma" because the lady was very nice and tried to talk to us as she poured the beers into the bags. By the end of the night, most of use had had a few of them. But they were kind of cool, since we just stuck the straws into the bags and walked around, sipping on our beers. We got seafood, all of which was delicious. We got clams, mussels, flounder, and another kind of clam. After that, we walked back to the hostel and enjoyed talking with each other and some others that we knew. Overall, a wonderful way to end a fantastic vacation in Qingdao.
Makenzi and I got up the next morning to catch our train back to Qufu. The ride was fine, I fell asleep for most of it. We caught the bus back to campus and I think both of us were tired so we got noodles from our favorite noodle shop out the North Gate and retired to our rooms.
I had so much fun in Qingdao. I really liked the feel of the city and the people we were with made all the difference. I am very grateful to the three Chinese girls who helped us get the tickets and took us around the city. My expectations were blown far out of the water and I think I will remember my week in this wonderful city for a long time to come.
I had so much fun in Qingdao. I really liked the feel of the city and the people we were with made all the difference. I am very grateful to the three Chinese girls who helped us get the tickets and took us around the city. My expectations were blown far out of the water and I think I will remember my week in this wonderful city for a long time to come.