An aerial view of May Fourth Square

On the south slope of the hill is a massive German villa. The magnificently built mansion was the former residence of the German governor and the entire estate covers 6.4 acres (26,000 m2). No extravagance was spared in its construction, and much of the construction material was shipped from Europe the governor felt he deserved the utmost in luxury. Unfortunately for him, when the Kaiser saw the construction bill, the hapless governor was immediately recalled.

There’s more to Qingdao than beaches and villas: the city is also dotted with free parks. Some of the particularly nice ones are Lu Xun Park(Lu Xun gongyuan),Sea World(haidi shijie), May Fourth Square(wusi guangchang) and the Sculpture Garden(hdibin didosu gongyuan), which has free displays of modern art. For a city that’s famous for beer, the Qingdao International Beer Festival (qingddo guoji pijiu jie) is an event that’11’ whet any beer lover’s’ thirst. Every late August the city turns into a carnival of beer and sun. Live performances, parades and lots of beers add to the excitement. Just watch where you step, as some drink little too much.

The city is now building boardwalk that will stretch the entire length of the shore for those looking for a quiet walk along the seaside. The boardwalk at the No. 1 and No.2 beaches has already been completed before the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

qingquang

See author's posts