Qingdao Aston

Qingdao is a coastal city in Shandong with a unique modern history. A fishing village for millennium, imperialistic behavior of the last century led to the founding of ports and naval bases at the site of the modern city by the Germans, Japanese, and then Chinese. Today the city has the most vibrant economy in Shandong and is gearing up for its part in the upcoming Olympic Games.

Qingdao is in reality two distinct cities. The old city is in the east and this is the traditional area of Qingdao. It is here that tourists come to observe turn of the century German architecture, attempt to relax with the multitudes on the beach, and wander the old cobblestone lanes. Up and over a series of small hills is the new city. Much of this area is brand new, modern, and booming. It is here the majority of commerce takes place and most of the population lives. Businesses, night life, up-market restaurants, high rise residential districts, etc. are all concentrated in this section of the city.

The old city has some large areas still remaining from the times of German settlement. There are times you could genuinely be mistaken you were walking through Europe. While this may not have a similar impact on foreign visitors, Chinese tourists flock to these areas to experience an element of Western culture in their own country. This, along with the surrounding beaches, help make Qingdao a major domestic tourist draw card in eastern China.

Qingdao will host many of the water related events during the 2008 Olympic Games, and because of this the city is currently undergoing considerable development as it prepares to be on the world stage. Attempts are currently being made to curb some of the heavy pollution, create “green zones”, and clean up the beaches.

Transportation infrastructure is also being improved. In the past Qingdao was notoriously difficult to reach, requiring a five hour trip on a slow train just to reach Jinan. Recently however, things have improved immensely and that trip now takes around 3 1/2 hours. From Jinan there are fantastic connections to the rest of Eastern China. Qingdao also has an international airport and ferry service to Korea and Japan.

Qingdao cuisine is in the traditional Shandong style with an obvious heavy emphasis on seafood. Many of the smaller family style restaurants have excellent seafood dishes for phenomenally cheap prices. Pints of Qingdao Beer at these places can be enjoyed for as little as 2 yuan. There are places all over the city serving Chinese fare from throughout the country and some international and Western options as well.

The climate of this region of Shandong stays a bit cooler than further inland. There are four distinct seasons with warm and wet summers and very cold winters. It is noticeably colder in Qingdao during the winter and spring months than in nearby Jinan. Proximity to the ocean means slightly higher precipitation.