Choosing a travel destination every summer vacation comes with a little bit of inevitability in it. Qingdao, many years ago, yearned for: blue waves and white sails, green trees and red tiles, big men eating clams and drinking Qingdao beer, and a summer tribe wearing face kini strolling on the beach and bathing beach Half of China has checked in, and Qingdao can't just exist in dreams. So, Ctrip booked a flight and flew directly to Qingdao.

Time: July 23-26, 2020, four days

Travel companion: Xiaohe classmate; Me+Xiao Wu; mom

Itinerary: Qingdao free trip on the 23rd and 24th; Jinan Free Travel on the 25th and 26th

Transportation: From Changsha to Qingdao, from Jinan to Changsha, and take a high-speed train from Qingdao to Jinan halfway through

Cost: 2200 yuan/person

Qingdao, like Xiamen, is a city that is very artistic and suitable for impoverished travelers. It is fashionable with simplicity, and romantic with historical heritage. This 11000 square kilometer "Eastern Switzerland" with three sides surrounded by water and one side backed by mountains has already been outlined in my mind. This trip, unlike usual, I did not provide a guide. Before departure, I quickly browsed through "Aerial China 3- Shandong Chapter" and set off with my luggage.

D1: Changsha Huanghua Airport → Qingdao Liuting Airport, check-in at the hotel. Check in at May Fourth Square in the afternoon.

Xiaohe; Xiao Wu, classmate

Mother Wu and I, known as "paparazzi mommies," will serve as travel butlers and photographers for the two students in the next four days.

The plane is expected to depart from Changsha around 10am and arrive in Qingdao after 12pm. Due to the impact of the route, it was delayed for half an hour and arrived in Qingdao after 1pm. Traveling abroad is a common occurrence, so we don't think it's a big deal. When choosing a distant place, we need to accept any unexpected situations and know how to adapt and digest them.

After the plane landed, while waiting for my luggage, I directly booked the Tinglan Hotel Apartment on Ctrip, located next to the May Fourth Square and the MixC. With the warm reception of the landlord, we took a short rest and began our free trip to Qingdao in the afternoon.

We had a good luck during this trip. According to the local taxi master, all coastal areas were closed the day before due to the strong wind, heavy rain and high waves in Qingdao. We had been drizzling until we arrived at the airport, but it actually cleared up in the afternoon. As soon as we left, Qingdao gave us a brilliant smile!

"Hospitality in Shandong" is not just a name for itself. Whether in Qingdao or Jinan, we have a deep understanding of it. Under the enthusiastic guidance of local citizens, we walked for about 10 minutes to Qingdao's popular check-in spot - May Fourth Square.

The May Fourth Square is located opposite the Qingdao Municipal People's Government and is named after the great anti imperialist and patriotic movement "May Fourth Movement" that broke out in 1919. The iconic sculpture "Wind of May", with a spiral rising fiery red wind, reflects the patriotic foundation and national strength of the "May Fourth Movement" against imperialism and feudalism. It integrates the coastal park, square fountain, Olympic venue, and office space, and is a landmark of Qingdao's coastal culture, political and economic trade!

The sediment washed by the waves in the rainstorm the day before was still on the shore, but it did not affect the beauty of Qingdao in any way. The Olympic Sailing Center next to the square waved the flags in the wind, showing the enthusiasm and charm of Qingdao to the world. This place has hosted the 2008 Beijing Olympic Sailing Competition and the 29th Paralympic Sailing Competition.

It's still early, so we decided to go for dinner first and leave the night view of Qingdao for the next day to enjoy. I found a local time-honored brand, ordered friendly seafood and Qingdao fresh beer, and felt the taste of Qingdao on my tongue in the cool dusk.

D2: Badaguan, Second Bathing Beach, Pier, Fast Boat Sailing, Night Scene Light Show at Olympic Sailing Square

I didn't sleep late in the morning, so I woke up early to visit Badaguan. The main roads of Badaguan in Qingdao are collectively known as "Badaguan" because they are named after the eight famous passes in China. At the same time, there are numerous villa areas in Badaguan that showcase the architectural styles of more than 20 countries, including Russian, English, French, German, and Spanish. Therefore, it is also known as the "International Architecture Expo".

Along the crisscrossing avenue, we mainly visited the Huashi Tower, Princess Tower, and Butterfly Tower.

Huashilou is a European castle style building that combines various Western architectural styles. It is located at the southern end of the Badaguan scenic spot, backed by Badaguan and facing the second beach. The scenery is unique and the environment is beautiful. It is a European castle style building that combines various Western architectural styles, featuring both Greek and Roman styles as well as Gothic architectural features. Before liberation, Chiang Kai shek lived here. The entrance ticket for visiting is 5 yuan.

The little sister who loves taking photos really likes the ivy with its walls covered in flower and stone buildings!

After visiting the Huashi Tower, I wandered all the way under the shade that covered the sky and sun. At this moment, the temperature in Qingdao is 26 degrees Celsius. I bought a few local specialty ice creams called "Niuxiaozha" at the convenience store, making the summer in Qingdao sweet and fragrant.

Literature and romance can be seen everywhere in Qingdao, passing through a lush and towering spruce forest, and encountering a group of music artists performing live.

In Badaguan, a flower stone wall, a ginkgo tree, a wutong tree, and a low wall corner are all good places to take pictures.

On a summer afternoon with a gentle sea breeze, by the side of the birdsong and floral boulevard, looking up, a dreamy castle appeared in front of me, which was the Princess Building.

The Princess Building is located on Juyongguan Road and is a Danish style building. It is said that in the 1920s, a Danish prince came to Qingdao and saw the beautiful scenery of this place when passing through Badaguan. It is adjacent to the sea and suitable for vacation and cultivation. Therefore, the Danish Consul in Qingdao purchased land here and designed and built this Danish style building.

Xiaohe smiled and said, "It would be great if I had a house in such a great place!"! Paparazzi Mommy smiled but didn't answer. Such a wonderful place, let's just visit and visit it!

There are many familiar colorful fairy tale reliefs in the corridor of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales, so little ones must love it!

Near the Badaguan Hotel, there is the famous Butterfly Tower. This is an important filming location for the first Qingdao themed film "Peach Blossoms after the Robbery" in 1935. People named it after the female lead and Chinese actress Hu Die in the film. Now, this old villa built 82 years ago has returned to the public eye, showcasing the century old movie memories of Qingdao.

The Empress of Film - Ms. Hu Die (Image from the Internet)

After visiting the diverse architectural styles and fresh and elegant scenery of Badaguan, Linhai is the famous Second Bathing Beach. Stepping on the soft sand, riding the gentle sea breeze, dancing with a skirt, calm and composed, embracing the blue sea and sky of Qingdao.

Captured the unique swimsuit of Qingdao Bathhouse - face bikini. In 2004, Zhang Shifan from Qingdao designed this mask based on a diving cap.
This nylon headband can block UV radiation and jellyfish stings, and later the term "facial kini" became popular in society. The related photos were also selected as 30 of the "most surprising photos of 2012" by Time magazine in the United States.

Featured Face Gini (Network Image)

Tired of playing with the sea, we got into a car and, on the recommendation of our master, we passed through the Qingdao Beer Expo and the Beer Street and arrived at the Guangming Restaurant, which has been in operation for 30 years, for lunch. Marinated pork trotters, nine turn large intestine, and braised cabbage with prawns are all famous Shandong cuisine.

The Qingdao Aquarium is also a favorite of students, satisfying their curiosity and joy of intimate contact with marine creatures here.

Taking advantage of the children's leisure time visiting the aquarium, my mother and I sat by the seaside blowing the sea breeze and chatting about life. Occasionally, people around us recommended fast boats and yacht projects, thinking that since we have come to the seaside city, how can we avoid taking fast boats for water activities? After bargaining with Mom Wu, we agreed on a trip to the west coast of Qingdao for 900 yuan, with the original price of 1380 yuan. Four people and one boat played the role of a sister riding the wind and waves!

Sitting on the speedboat, we visited various scenic spots at sea, such as Little Qingdao, Zhanqiao, and Maritime Military Museum. Qingdao at sea had a unique experience. In the extreme, the sea and sky extend infinitely, with clouds dotted between them; On the deep and vast sea, the waves fluctuate and the giant ship becomes so small, drifting with the waves. Looking out on the railing, the sea embraces the coastal buildings in its embrace, sometimes gentle and sometimes cold. When you walk around the pier, you step on the waves and admire the scenery on the blue waves, while those who admire the scenery look at you on the bridge. In each other's eyes, everyone becomes each other's scenery.

The vast sea and distant mountains, unknown where is Xiaoxiang! Riding back to the shore in the twilight, the afterglow was still lingering, and my heart was still drifting with the waves. I took a short rest and took a beautiful photo with the sea.

Qingdao has a romantic and artistic atmosphere of green trees, red tiles, blue sea, and blue sky during the day. At night, when the lights are on, it presents a colorful scene of flowing light and shining like stars.

In the early morning, the May Fourth Square and Olympic Sailing Center were crowded with people strolling through the bay in groups of three or five, admiring the sunset in Qingdao. At exactly 8 pm, the coastal skyscrapers were brightly lit, and this versatile city was showcasing Qingdao's history, culture, and development to the world through a series of light shows.

The lighthouse will remain an ice free harbor, and the floors are now open to sailors. How many people on long voyages have this warm light provided protection and illumination? How many sailors have once ignited the hope of returning home!

D3: One day tour of Daming Lake

Four sides of lotus flowers and three sides of willows, one city with mountains and half a city with lakes. Jinan's springs are famous far and wide, and many springs converge to form Daming Lake.

For outsiders, many people's impression of Daming Lake comes from a classic line in a certain drama: "Do you still remember the summer rain lotus by Daming Lake back then?" However, for locals in Jinan, Daming Lake, like Baotu Spring, is a business card of Jinan. Here, not only the willow trees are shaded and graceful, but also the blue waves are sweeping, the lotus flowers are like brocade, the boats on the water are competing for the ferry, the painted boats are walking slowly, and the towers and pavilions on the shore are looming in the meantime. In the Qing Dynasty Qianlong's "Annals of Licheng County: A Study of Mountains and Waters IV", it is recorded: "The lake is vast and the mountains are connected in the distance. In summer, the lotus waves sway, and in spring, the smoke rises. Rowing in it is like wandering in a fragrant country, with the flute and drum assisting in its distant charm, it is a unique victory in the north of the Yangtze River."

In history, Tie Xuan, Zeng Gong, Xin Qiji, Du Fu, and Li Qingzhao all have intricate connections with Daming Lake. "I often remember the sunset at the Creek Pavilion, intoxicated and unsure of my way back. When I was too excited to return to my boat at night, I stumbled into the depths of lotus flowers. Struggling to cross, struggling to cross, startling a flock of gulls and egrets." Back then, the poet was intoxicated in this shimmering water, unsure of his way back, right?

The lotus leaf skirt is cut in one color, and the hibiscus opens to both sides of the face. I believe that in Minghu, the rainbow bridge on the stream lies on the waves, the lotus fragrance overflows in the lake, and the willows drape over the riverbank. The lotus leaves that cover the sky and the graceful weeping willows are superior to the lotus flowers that reflect the sun.

At dusk, the Cangshan Mountains are covered in the sunset glow. The ripples on the Daming Lake shimmer, and the setting sun shines back, creating a brilliant radiance.

Accommodation in Jinan is very affordable, and there are many characteristic homestays and apartment buildings, which can be accommodated for two to three hundred yuan. The Daming Lake Observation Hotel we booked on Ctrip today is a very cost-effective one. Standing on the balcony, you can enjoy the scenery of Daming Lake, and just cross the road to enter the scenic area, which is very convenient.

D4: Baotu Spring and Furong Street in Jinan

It was originally planned to climb Mount Taishan today. Early in the morning, it began to rain heavily in Jinan. After checking the weather, it was also raining heavily in Tai'an. The taxi master suggested that we change our schedule and visit Baotu Spring. After cancelling our ticket, we visited Jinan's First Spring in the rain this morning.

Mr. Lao She wrote in his article "Baotu Spring": "The spring is so beautiful! It will always be so pure, always so lively, always so vivid, always so bold, never tired, never shrink back, only nature has such power! If it were not for this spring, Jinan would have lost half of its beauty."

The water quality of Baotu Spring is shallow, fresh, and emerald green, with three springs in the core area continuously emitting spring water upwards. This bay of spring water flows through Daming Lake in the urban area until it joins the Yellow River and flows into the sea. The locals say that in September, when the water volume is high, it will roll and pour out white waves in all directions, and when the water is scarce, Baotu Spring will gradually calm down and rest for a while. "Did Baotu Spring experience a sudden change today?" is the expectation of every tourist, and only seeing the surging spring water with three eyes will make them feel at ease.

Another historical and cultural celebrity in Jinan is Li Qingzhao. Most people would sing a few lines, "Like a Dream, Last Night's Rain and Breeze Suddenly". When I was in junior high school, class monitor Yao often recited in my ear the poem "Wuling Spring. Spring Festival Gala": "The wind lingers in the dust, the fragrant flowers are gone, and I am tired of combing my hair day and night. Things are different from people, and everything is over. Tears flow first when I want to speak." Later, in the literary corridor of the class, Hui's articles were displayed, which used to say, "Searching, cold and desolate, the most difficult time to rest is when it is warm or cold." As I grew older, I would sing with my classmate Xiaowanzi, "The fragrance of red lotus roots lingers on the jade mat in autumn... Wild geese..." When the word goes back, the moon fills the Western Tower. "When you drink too much, it will also be socially distorted." Vomiting, vomiting, startling countless mandarin ducks. "Li Qingzhao's words always accompany everyone's student days - the melancholy, coldness, loneliness, and self creation that forcefully express sorrow. In fact, the early poets were bold and unrestrained, saying, "Life should be a hero, and death should also be a hero." After experiencing many things in the world, it was only then that such a difficult to calm melancholy and frustration arose. I asked the world, how many people have run away for half their lives and returned as teenagers?!

The rain kept falling, adding moisture and luster to the cool Jinan. After leaving the Baotu Spring scenic area, I took an old man's electric tricycle and walked through the streets to the nearby Furong Street.

Like Taiping Street in Changsha, Furong Street is a tourist food street created by the local government, with various beverages, local specialty foods, and cultural decoration shops distributed among them, but it lacks the charm and popularity of Taiping Street. Personally, I don't think there are many strollers on this street. The food looks delicious and the taste in my mouth is really average. Jewelry stores are just as ordinary as street shops in tourist cities across the country. If it weren't for the inconvenience caused by the rain, we would choose Qianfoshan Park in the city center. Attached a few photos can be considered a check-in!

Return journey——

Let's always have a summary at the end! The short four-day journey, although not as enjoyable and profound as the trip to the Qinghai Tibet Line and Xinjiang back then, still left behind a lot of joy. As always, I love coastal cities, like the sea breeze brushing my shoulders and the murmuring of pine waves; I like to return to the sea from all rivers, vast and vast; I prefer seafood paired with beer, which exudes a refreshing and artistic style amidst its refreshing and fashionable urban atmosphere!

Finally, let's take a set of photos from mid air overlooking the Jiaozhou Bay Cross Sea Bridge and the under construction Jiaodong Airport. Wave goodbye to Qingdao Jinan!