Spring 3-Day Trip to Qingdao: Light Show & Seagull Feeding
Qingdao has always been a famous tourist destination in China. Because of its coastal location, it has become an essential port city, which has given Qingdao advantages in terms of development and economy.
Qingdao was a city I'd always dreamed of visiting. I took a holiday with my girlfriend and came to this beautiful city. Upon arrival, we first needed to find accommodation near the tourist spots. On Ctrip, we saw the Blue Horizon Hotel, very close to Shilaoren Beach with high ratings, so we quickly booked it. You can't sightsee dragging luggage around, so we hurried to check in. Before we even entered the lobby, a bellhop came out to help with our bags. The front desk lady was very gentle. We checked in for three days. When they learned we were tourists, the housekeeping staff gave us a Qingdao travel guide and a map. Upon entering our room, we saw a delicate welcome fruit plate on the coffee table. We dropped our bags and went to the hotel's third-floor buffet. At under 100 yuan per person, it was great value. My girlfriend loves salmon, and the salmon was authentic and unlimited. Other dishes were also plentiful. After eating and drinking our fill, we headed straight to Shilaoren. No need for a car; just walk straight out, around ten minutes, and you're there. The endless sea, and the most iconic sight: the 'Shilaoren Statue', a reef over ten meters tall 'seated' in the water about a hundred meters from shore. We took off our shoes and socks, paddled in the sea, collected shells. Time flew; soon the sun set. In the evening, strolling on Shilaoren Beach, feeling the evening sea breeze, listening to the waves—pure bliss. Back at the hotel, before the restaurant closed, we ordered seafood and two stir-fried dishes to eat upstairs. Have to say, the local Qingdao seafood was incredibly fresh and delicious. After eating, we went to sleep, full and content.
The next day, our plan was the zoo next to Zhongshan Park downtown. We walked 200 meters to the Convention Center metro station, which takes you straight to the zoo. Since it was on the way, we first visited Zhongshan Park. Surrounded by hills on three sides, facing the sea to the south, the park is lush with trees. Then we went to the zoo my girlfriend wanted to visit. The giraffes and baby tiger were perfect to take pictures with—haha. In the afternoon, we went to Zhanqiao Pier. We bought some bread to feed the seagulls. I heard this year's seagulls are so well-fed by tourists they can barely fly; you can see they're fat (chubby gulls!). Before we knew it, another day had passed. We went to Wusi Square to see the light show, then had some local specialty snacks nearby. It was a very happy day.
On the last day, we went to Xiaomai Island, which I'd often seen online. It's spring, flowers are blooming, grass is green. The air here felt so clean and fresh. In the afternoon, we strolled near the hotel. Right next to the hotel is a big shopping mall, Lida, where I bought my girlfriend's favorite cosmetics and brought some Qingdao specialties for family and friends back inland. After shopping, we went back to the hotel to rest well and prepare for the return trip and work tomorrow. The holiday went by so fast. Back at the hotel, the front desk reminded us we hadn't used our complimentary midnight snack voucher. We chose a set meal, and the waiter delivered it to our room. The warmest touch was a cup of hot milk. An unforgettable trip. When the next holiday comes, I'll bring my girlfriend to Qingdao again, especially since we haven't climbed the famous Mount Lao yet.
