Qingdao
Qingdao Children's Welfare Institution
Half the Sky Children's Center #41 opened in December, 2008
| Baby Sisters Infant Nurture Program | |
| Little Sisters Preschool Program | |
| Big Sisters Program | |
Family Village #16 |
QINGDAO
Qingdao, a beautiful seaside city that was the site of the sailing eventsfor the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is located in southeastern Shandong Province. To the east, a short distance across the Yellow Sea, lie Korea and Japan, making Qingdao an important city for international trade. The unique combination of German and Chinese architecture in the city center and a large Korean expat population gives Qingdao a unique atmosphere.
Qingdao’s European architecture is a remnant of its colonial past. The city was ceded to Germany in 1897. The Germans named the city “Tsingtau” and turned it into a strategically important port that was administered by the Navy. The German Imperial government planned and built the first streets and institutions of the city and many still remain, including the world-famous Tsingtao Brewery.
China’s still nascent sailing community originated in Qingdao. Local school children now have the option of supplementing their studies with sailing classes and they came out in force to cheer for the Olympics sailing events in Fushan Bay near the city’s central business district.
Sites
Qingdao is a hilly city that is the site of one of the most legendary mountains in China, Mount Lao, which features many interesting rock formations and beautiful views of the Yellow Sea. It is the only one of China's sacred mountains that has a sea view. Known in traditional folklore as the home of immortals, Mount Lao has attracted the admiration of emperors, poets, and priests for more than two thousand years. It covers some 400 square kilometers, including the highest points along the eastern coast of China. There are many temples, historical relics, and monuments on Mount Lao, including 2000-year-old TaiQing Temple.
Lutheran (aka Protestant) Church
Designed by a German architect in 1910 this castle-style church has a red tile roof and a pretty green bell tower with a three-sided clock face. Visitors can climb the tower to see the original bells that still toll here. Known to locals as Zhongbiao Lou (Clock Tower), the building was spared during the Cultural Revolution because few knew it was a church.
Zhanqiao Pier
Built in 1891, pier stabs extends 440 meters (1,400 feet) out into Qingdao Bay. At the end of the pier is Huilan Pavilion the eight-sided structure on Tsingtao beer labels.
Badaguan Scenic Area
Nicknamed the "Architecture Museum," Badaguan Scenic Area boasts more than 200 different western architectural styles ranging from German to Dutch. The tiny lanes that dot this area are filled with cypress and peach and crabapple trees.
Zhanshan Temple
Built in 1945, this temple at the base of Zhangshan Hill in Taipingshan Park is massive (20,000 square meters). It features five halls and one pagoda in classic Chinese architectural styles as well as displays of Buddhist sculptures and scriptures.
Huiquan Beach
This 580-meter stretch of sand along the northeastern edge of Huiqaun Bay attracts crowds of sunbathers because it is so close to downtown. Swimmers can splash with confidence thanks to a submerged wall of shark-proof netting.
Huadong Winery
In an area better known for its world famous Tsingtao beer, this young winery just 20 minutes outside of town is quickly putting Qingdao on the map as a serious wine region. Opened in the mid-1980s, the winery enjoys the same coastal mountain climate as California's famous Napa Valley region. As a result, it has begun producing highly acclaimed chardonnays and Rieslings.
Little Qingdao Island
This tiny spot of land that stretches into Qingdao Bay just south of Zhanqiao Pier is one of the area's most popular tourist stops. Though it is called an island, it is accessible via a narrow stretch of land. Its main attraction is a lighthouse built in 1900 by Germans and a park with peach and cherry trees, rose bushes, and the rare Qingdao lily that grows only in southern Shandong.
Food
Seafood choices abound in Qingdao. Trepang (sea cucumber), abalone, sea snails, clams, oysters, squid, shrimp and crab dishes are common choices at seaside snack bars, the city's many excellent "ordinary" restaurants and fine dining restaurants at luxury hotels. Sautéed clams with red or green chili (known locally as “GaLa”) are a local delicacy that is found on every restaurant’s menu.
Some of the best places to sample the freshest seafood are the fishing villages in the city's mountainous Laoshan district. The seafood there is often freshly caught and relatively inexpensive. On Yunxiao Lu (Seafood Street), seafood is also reasonably priced and comes in abundant varieties. Dumplings (jiaozi) with tasty seafood fillings are quite popular.
A healthy eating tip: Vinegar and vegetables are considered to be essential for a healthy seafood meal. Pucai, a vegetable grown in ponds, is especially nutritious and prized by locals.
Beer
Dengzhou Lu (Beer Street) is home to the original Tsingtao Beer Factory, established about a century ago by Germans. There are now about 40 beer bars and restaurants lining the nearly 1,000-metre-long street. The buildings on the street are designed in the late 19th century–early 20th century European-style. Fresh beer produced in the factory is available daily in the area's bars, the freshest in the city. At the Tsingtao factory, the Tsingtao Beer Museum contains a detailed history of Tsingtao Beer and its production processes.
Starting the second weekend of August, Qingdao hosts its annual, 16-day beer-lover’s event, the International Beer Festival.
If you adopted a child who was in a Qingdao Half the Sky program, we are happy to send you whatever progress reports and photographs we may have in our files, but only after you've brought your child home. Please download and fill out a progress report request form and follow the instructions for faxing or emailing to Half the Sky