From 1898 until the outbreak of the first World War, Germany controlled much of Qingdao. The Governor’s Mansion, completed around 1907, and built at great expense to the Kaiser back home in Germany is a terrific peak at life during the Imperial German occupation. The 30 room interior resembles a Bavarian hunting castle while the exterior an example of the Art Nouveau, has hosted many dignitaries during the past century. Chairman Mao stayed here with his family in 1957 during the heyday of China’s Cultural Revolution as well as Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh in the 1960’s.
When the 2008 Summer Olympics came to China, all the sailing events were held in Qingdao in and around what is now known as Marina City.Like many large Chinese cities, Qingdao has a huge TV tower and observatory on a hill overlooking the city and the Yellow Sea.The last few minutes of the day’s sun warm up the lighthouse at the end of the jetty near Qingdao’s Olympic Sailing Center-the sailing home of the 2008 Summer Olympics.With nods to earlier Asian architecture that included wats and stupas, modern Qingdao buildings often feature unique rooftop ornamentation.Looking east toward the rising sun over the Laoshan Mountains, the building that houses the Qingdao Amerasia International School catches the early light.
The familiar glow of a Starbucks sign lights up at Marina City. Despite China’s preference for tea, many young people now include coffee in their daily routines.Many modern skyscrapers in China feature nightly LED lighting shows lasting until late in the evening.Xianggang Lu or Hong Kong Road, renamed in 1997 in honor of the British return of Hong Kong to China, lights up every night after sunset in central Qingdao.“The Wind of May”, weighing in at over 700 tons of steel, looks spectacular lit up at night in Qingdao’s May 4th Square.The May 4 Square was named to commemorate the patriotic student movement that began there in 1919 in reaction to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in Paris. The treaty ending the first World War turned the German ‘Colony’ of Qingdao over to the control of Japan instead of China, triggering student protests and arguably the birth of modern China.
Electricity here is inexpensive to the wallet but hard on the environment. Most power comes from coal-burning which produces the notorious smog over much of China.
Travel the World Over 
China’s electric bill must be staggering. All very beautiful tho.
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Electricity here is inexpensive to the wallet but hard on the environment. Most power comes from coal-burning which produces the notorious smog over much of China.
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