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 QINGDAO
Qingdao, located in the southeast part of Shandong Province, is a beautiful seaside city with clear air and enchanting sea view. This city, bordered by the Yellow Sea on two sides, has the largest bathing beach in Asia and produces the mellow Qingdao Beer. To the east of the city, a short distance across the Yellow Sea, lie Korea and Japan, making the city an important port for international trade. For thirty three years, up to 1949, the city was a colony of Germany and Japan. Thus, it has a great deal of European architecture. This foreign architecture -a remnant of the colonial past- now beautifies this seaside city. The red roofs, green trees, blue sea, and azure sky form a bright and colorful picture here. The city is sometimes known as the Switzerland of the Orient. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, Qingdao attracts many visitors with its charming seascape. Sights like the Eight Passes Villas, Wusi Square, the Zhan Bridge, Mt. Laoshan, No.1 Bathing Beach, Badaguan Scenic Area will help you remember the city. Other major attractions like Xinhao (Signal) Hill Park, Catholic Church (St. Emil Church), Golden Sand Beach, Small Qingdao Island, Lu Xun Park, and Underwater World are also worth a visit. Just walking on the sand and listening to the surf breaking on the beach becomes enjoyable. May Fourth Square May Fourth SquareThe food here is with distinctive flavors--especially seafood. So take this chance to enjoy the delicious seafood. Also, the city is the home of the famous Qingdao (Tsingtao) Beer. Do not forget to try it when visiting the city. The local government recognizes the importance of the tourism industry and has further plans to develop the local tourism. To enhance the tourism industry, the city now sponsors the International Beer Festival, the International Sea Festival, Beach Culture Festival, the Sea Affection Festival, and the Summer of Qingdao Festival. In cooperation with the Beijing Olympic Games 2008, Qingdao held the Sailing Competition in the Olympic Games in 2008. This great event brings a great opportunity for this charming city to build its bright future. |