A Golden Week in Qingdao

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May 1st started planning for Qingdao to spend my golden week holidays and having a complete rest day...hard to get tickets for Qingdao got a booking for tomorrow……… A good walk in the Nanjing Street towards bund with friends from Suzhou to much crowd.... hard to move…

May 2, played a cricket match representing Rest of the World against Australia. Rest of the world won that match and deadly tired for any traveling but as i already planned so i have to move..........

Journey towards Qingdao started in the evening on a bus. Got an immense feedback from yasir and his company regarding Qingdao, but as the saying goes…” When you ride you know it”.

Qingdao, an old port city situated on the Southern coast of Shandong, is a quaint and popular spot. It lies between mountain and sea, a well-chosen coastal port with clear deep waters and a comfortable climate.

Qingdao owns China's best northern beach resort as well. What's more, as a German concession taken in 1897 and ceded for a total of 99 years, the city retains much of its colonial architecture and charm. German influence is impressive in town planning, with lush wooded avenues and some of China's best parks.

Travel by bus…. Bus was so so having a lot of smell…which I really didn’t enjoy other wise the bed was comfortable. Reached Qingdao around 6 AM in the morning and then waiting for yasir to pick me from the bus station he was late and the first sight if Qingdao reflect me Wazirabad and Gujranwala sort of city I am in… but later on when I travel around Qingdao I was wrong….

The taxi is cheap comparing with shanghai but if you are not familiar with those tugs they will try to charge you more… I tired to negotiate with the taxi driver for landu from where I can find ferry for Huangdao as yasir was late and set the landu probably means a ferry station set a meeting point. Taxi driver charge 35 RMB from bus station to ferry terminal….

Yasir is studying Telecom in Shandong University of Science and Technology. The university is situated in Huangdao a newly and well established district in Qingdao famouse for golden beach. To travel between Qingdao and Huangdao you have to take ferry which cost 7 RMB and 30 min drive and for the fast one 12 RMB and 10 min. I really enjoy traveling between Qingdao and Huangdao.

To enjoy the beaches one should plan to visit Qingdao in June or July as Qingdao is situated in northern part of china the weather is little bit colder then other part….so one should plan accordingly.

Before starting the trip I look for Qingdao map … hard to find English version I got one with mix English and Chinese now it is really helpful for me to know the tourist places and where one should travel.

May 3rd, Golden beach in Huangdao is another excellent beach in the city, if you have been to Shenzhen, Demisha beach it is just copy of that. Visits some shopping malls and get back to university in the evening. Have a nice dinner with the Mohsin and company. Attend a dance party in the university it was nice and good fun.

May 4th, looking the map my finger crossed over on Loushan Mountain Yasir and Mohsin agreed to go there as this is the wonderful place in Qingdao both of them haven't been there before, so they quickly agreed.

We quickly gathered information how to go cheaply and last thanks to mohsin GF we came to know bus 304 will take us there and it will take more than 1 hour….The Loushan Mountain is the best scenic spot in the Qingdao, giving you the beach, the mountain for hiking and beautiful scenery.

Taiping Road, the city is on the left bank of the sea……I enjoyed walking on this road for hours and enjoyed a lot.

May 4th square another memorable place to visit.

Indian restaurant owned by Shamim khan who belongs from Hyderabad Indian. The food he serves as the best Indian food in all over China as I eat in many Indian restaurant but this guy have really a good taste. Only Chicken is halal.

After spending and enjoying full day in Loushan Mountains. Now it’s a time for relax the plan was to spend a night in Qingdao for that starting Search for a hotel but the hotels were to expensive and the cheapest, One can not stay. So we decided we will spend the night in the feelings and then go back to university early in the morning. Feeling where you can share you feelings on the floor, nice and the best disco club in the city.

May 5th, Stayed in Huangdao have a nice gupshap with all Pakistani students. Have a good lunch with yasir friend.

May 6th Sunday, Pakistani students have a match with another department but one can say a match between Pakistani students and Chinese students. The posters are easily visible in the university and one can think about the heat of the match. I was not in the 11 side but I like to play. 8 AM morning to get players in the ground as Pakistani students are not used to get up early in the holidays. I was included to fulfill the spot and played to my favorite position as center forward but after going one down I was sent as goal keeper in my life I have not been a goal keeper. After the first half I told the captain I can play as a forward but as goal keeper I am not good. So they replace me and the remaining match I enjoyed by watching and supporting the team. The result was draw with two goals from each side. I was impressed with the display shown by Pakistani team as they were two down in the first half but they did a good comeback.

Got a return ticket for Shanghai, Spend nice time at Zhan Qian Pier and visits some markets. In the mid night enjoyed an excellent birthday party.

May 7th, Travel back to Shanghai by bus in the night. Nice and good trip come to end.

The best time to visit Qingdao is June or July as one can enjoy the beaches with full zeal.

For the best thing which I enjoy is to travel between Qingdao and Huangdao really it give me a such fanatic taste to travel between these two parts of the city that is unforgettable.

Truly speaking I call Qingdao BBB, the first for the beer Qingdao beer is the famous beer, well some time the water is expensive then the beer, the second for the beaches and the third not the English one but Urdu one for bachis (girls).

May 8th, Back to Shanghai and straight away back to work.

Happy Traveling!

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