The lowdown on Qingdao

29.09.2012

I woke up stupid early and watched the sun come up. When I finally got off of the ferry, it was about 10 a.m. I was late to meet my couchsurfing host Dan, but that was OK I guess. He told me to take a taxi to his house, but I later found out that it would've have been easier (and only 60 cents, as opposed to $15) if I had taken a bus!

Anywho, he was going to have Chinese Thanksgiving with some of his friends somewhere else, so he just kind of left me there, and then I went downtown on the bus myself. He said he didn't know HOW to use the bus, so I figured everything out on my own. Why would you not use the bus if it only costs 60 cents?!

He also told me not to go to Beer Street, the place which has a bunch of pubs and also the famous Tsingtao brewery. Whatever.

So for the first day I just sort of concentrated on visiting all the touristy things in the Lonely Planet that Nathalie gave me. A few churches, the governor's former residence, and a temple. All of which were nice, but the temple was the most interesting, because it was so busy! There were people from all over swarming this place, burning incense and tying these red plastic things to trees everywhere. I know that there is a special reason for all of this, but I am ignorant.

There were a bunch of little stores set up selling knick knacks, but there was also a little old couple cutting up intricate paper pictures. I bought one in the shape of a rooster because that's my Chinese astrological sign.

From there, I was getting hungry so I went to the beach and the boardwalk to find something to eat. I got a giant sweet potato, which was delicious, and then walked back to Dan's house. He was there, and I was still hungry, but he said there was nowhere to eat around his house and he gave me some homemade dumplings that his friends gave him before he left for home.

So we were talking about all of the various bar fights that Dan has been in while he was a bartender, and then all of a sudden he says he's bored (Thanks) and then immediately starts chatting on Skype, saying that his friend is coming over soon. So, I try and keep the conversation going while I'm assuming his friend is making his way over and Dan continues to Skype chat his whole contact list. His friend never comes and I start falling asleep, so I just give up waiting and go to bed. When I wake up, I find out that his friend never actually did visit. What a weirdo.

Some sort of space needle