Qingdao

Qingdao is so different from the other four cities we've visited so far. It's a very deceptive city - by just walking through the streets, you think it's a very quaint town, but when you view it from above, you realize just how big this city of over 7 million is.

The Germans once occupied this area, and much of the architecture in the old part of the city is heavily German influenced and gives you a sense of being in a European city. Qingdao is also the home of Tsingtao beer, which was also started by the homesick Germans who were once there. The city was then occupied by the Japanese, and there are some trademark architecture, as well.

We visited two companies while we were here - Haier, which is a huge company that seems to be like a mini GE, and Tsingtao beer. Both were pretty interesting visits. My friend Annie and I had a fun Qingdao day yesterday, complete with exploring the markets, eating some authentic noodles, playing with a Chinese baby and getting massages (yes, this makes my 3rd massage of the trip, but when they're only $20 for 90 minutes, can you blame me?). Apparently, Qingdao doesn't get a lot of Western visitors, so this is the first city where practically no one speaks English. My "ching", "she-she", "Nihow" and "dwai boo chi"s can only get me so far (please, thank you, hello, excuse me). But it's a very friendly city. With a beach!

I had another adventure today - going up the TV tower to get a better view of the city, walking along the pier which houses the octagonal structure used on the Tsingtao beer label, and finally finding some jade that I could actually afford...assuming, of course, that it's real jade.

My Chinese baby experience involves a unique custom used with children. Apparently, the use of diapers is not heavily used in China. Instead, children wear pants with a slit in both the front and the back, and when they need to go, the parents learn to read the signals and get them to a bathroom, or a place where they can go. So you'll see all these babies around with their little buns hanging out. Annie and I were at a store and there was a little boy toddler there, who knew "hello" in english and took a liking to me (I got my fair share of baby slobber and friendly bites). I wanted to ask the baby's name, but the parents did not know English. So I pointed to myself and said "Laura", pointed to Annie and said "Annie" and then pointed to the baby, hoping they would make the connection. They got excited and started to smile and I got excited that they understood me. Until they opened up the front slit in the baby's pants to reveal his goods. Apparently, they thought I was asking if he was a boy or a girl. Yet another reason I want to learn this language!

We're off bright and early tomorrow morning for our 24 hour trip back to Durham. If only I can fight off this cold so I'm not completely miserable on the flight back!