Qingdao

My first six months in China were spent in Qingdao where I had a flat with a view across to the sea. The sea is what makes Qingdao and there is a spate of good restaurants close to the beaches. The cafes, mainly 'Starbucks' and, the Taiwanese chain, 'SPR' are set a little away from the beaches but there are a few and all of them have a free wireless connection. Without a doubt Qingdao is one of the most pleasant Chinese cities. In the summer the locals sit outside eating and drinking their draft "tsingtao beer". The old town, which was built by the Germans is quite pretty, even if it is a little run down. Good seafood, some decent bars and a couple of very good shopping malls all make for pleasant living and then there is the Italian cafe and the incredibly good ice cream just behind the mall "Mykel" and, of course, the "Monheimer Eck", the excellent draft "Tsingtao" and the bottles of "Weihenstephaner and Erdinger Weissbier".
The Qingdao experience was a positive one; I worked with post-graduate students who I ended up really liking. My immediate superior, a Chinese who had received his PhD from Caledonian University in Glasgow was supportive, friendly and thoroughly decent. It is when I think back to Qingdao that I become very positive about China. A little trip to Qingdao before I leave China is a must.
The picture above is of one of the six beaches in Qingdao.