Catching the Tail End of 2020: A New Mom's Day Trip to Qingdao with Her Baby
2020 was an extraordinary year. As a first-time mom, after spending a long 42-day postpartum confinement, I yearned to bathe in the warm sunshine, to breathe in the scent of nature, to collect clams by the sea... In short, there were so many things I wanted to do. Unfortunately, the sudden outbreak of COVID-19 shattered this lady's sweet dreams and dashed all my expectations as a new mom. I could only sit by the window with my baby, watching the sparsely populated neighborhood, seeing the sun rise and then set. If it weren't for this adorable baby, I'm afraid I would have fallen into depression~
Finally, on a weekend as autumn turned to winter, with my family by my side, we embarked on a spontaneous trip~
After doing some research on Ctrip, I just wanted to go beachcombing, watch the sunrise, and collect clams. Most importantly, it would be my little one's first encounter with the sea! Hotel rates in Shinan District were generally higher, so we ended up choosing the Blue Ocean Hotel in Laoshan District. The hotel was less than a 15-minute walk to the beach. We booked a room with a sea view at a price that was still acceptable.
Early in the morning, we drove straight from Weifang to Qingdao. Arriving at the hotel at 8:40, there was indeed a large parking lot. The security guard guided us to park, and staff helped us with our luggage. At the lobby, seeing we had a little baby, the service staff quickly arranged our room and even gave us a special toiletry kit for kids. The front desk guy also very thoughtfully introduced the hotel's dining options, explaining so earnestly that it convinced me to give it a try, hehe!
Our room was on the 9th floor, quite quiet. Pulling back the curtains, in the distance, the azure sea was right there. Hi, ocean, I'll be there soon~
The whole family took a quick rest and then headed to the beach~
Early winter in Qingdao was not cold at all; the midday sun felt warm on our skin. Pushing the stroller, little Amy's eyes never stopped moving, looking here and there. There were quite a few people at the beach, including many parents with their kids. At first, everyone was with their own little ones. My baby didn't know how to use a small shovel and only used her hands. After Dad played with her for a while, she learned to dig sand with the shovel. Happily playing on her own, she then saw a little girl next to us digging sand to build a castle and lost interest in the shovel. So we mother and daughter joined the other mother and daughter to build a castle together. A slight regret was that the castle turned into a pile of sand ^`^
After over two hours of play, the whole family was hungry. Due to the pandemic, we didn't dare to try the local food at small eateries nearby—we'll definitely experience that next time. After much deliberation, we decided to go back to the hotel for the buffet. The buffet was on the third floor, with a wide variety of food. It looked hygienic and wasn't too crowded. We chose some porridge, knife-cut noodles, a piece of fish, and two kinds of fruit for the little one to fill her up, then she played with Dad. I then started my feast! I loved the salmon, mini hot pot, and barbecue. A glass of orange juice and some pastries completed the satisfying meal.
After eating, we returned to the room to find that the hotel had set up a bed guard and prepared toys for the kids. We napped for over an hour. In the afternoon, the family went to Haichang Polar Ocean World, a ten-minute drive away. We saw many marine creatures we had never seen before. At 220 yuan per person, the tickets were well worth it. The little one was very happy.
What an exhausting day! It fulfilled the dream I had all through the pandemic. I had a beautiful sleep, and the little one cooperated all night without crying (probably worn out from the day~~)
Early next morning, it was still a bit chilly, so we didn't go out. Instead, we tried to catch the feeling of sunrise from the room, enjoyed a sumptuous buffet breakfast, and then headed home. Due to the season and our short itinerary, next time I come, I'll definitely stay and play for a few more days!
