This is a continuation and part 2 of the Qingdao series.
We stayed primarily in the old town area called Badaguan Scenic Area where there’s a mix of German and Japanese architecture, well preserved and utilized in coffee shops, restaurants and bars. We barely scraped the surface of what this great coastal city has to offer, but we got a great taste of the diversity of experiences available. For a short trip, I’d highly recommend going to the top of Signal Hill to take in the glorious views and architecture from up high. I’d also recommend spending a day or two wandering around the Badadguan Scenic Area, which is quite large and spread out.
You should also bring your running or walking gear and go for a run along the coast, soaking in the beautiful views, and on some days, the crystal clear water. You must also have as much seafood as possible, preferably from a restaurant that has live seafood available to choose from. You’ll find these restaurants all around Qingdao and especially near the beaches. The process is the same in that you get seated, and then are taken to the life seafood area; you pick what you want to eat, and then select how you want it cooked. I recommend keeping it simple and going for steamed so that you can enjoy the fresh seafood. You can then dip the seafood in vinegar or soya sauce, or eat it without any sauces.
One restaurant I really recommend, but one that requires a bit of work as a foreigner, is to visit a claypot seafood place. You choose your fresh seafood, which they bring to your table and throw into a huge iron pot. They then cover the pot, and sadly you can hear the little guys bouncing around as they meet their maker. Once things settle down and the little guys are cooked, they lift the wooden cover off and you’re left with an incredible meal. At the end, they take the juices from the seafood and turn it into a soup for you. The whole experience is unique and very local. Language will be an issue, but like with all of China, the locals will do everything possible to help out and somehow a solution will be found to getting you the food you want. Be sure to order copious amounts of Tsingdao Beer to go with the seafood!
For the remainder of this post, I’ll let the images do the talking. Qingdao is a beautiful city and is perfect to enjoy on foot. There are so many little roads that lead to beautiful architecture and wonderful experiences. There is an abundance of German influence remaining, some Japanese influence, and of course, the incredible influence and modernization of the current China.
