I’ve been to the northern port city of Qingdao before, way back in the December of 2005 when I lived in Seoul and spent most of my free time wondering whether Ross and Rachel would ever get together.

Here’s what I thought about it back then:me and monk

All in all Qingdao had the feeling of an out-of-season seaside town.

There were things to see and do, but with no sun shining on the beach it was kind of dreary in places.

Living in Korea you don’t see many people begging, and when they do it’s normally very passive. In Qingdao I was approached by women with rosy cheeks and infants on their back, and toothelss old couples wearing shabby blue work uniforms and caps.

I’m sure they, along with all of the people on the street hawking cutlery, buddhist beads, cab rides and restaurant seats, will make a lot more money when the Olympic sailing events are held in Qingdao as part of Beijing 2008.

Well that shows what I know! The beggars were all, of course, executed before the Olympics even began.

This weekend’s trip to Korea Qingdao was a lot more fun than my first. For one thing it’s summer and the sun was shining, and for another I speak enough Chinese not to get ripped off every time I took a step out of the hotel.

Well OK I don’t, but Emma does, and that’s pretty much the same thing.

Orange

This trip was much improved anyway, in fact I had a blast.

The difference between going to an out-of-season coastal town where you don’t speak the language and get ripped off at every turn, and going on a sunny weekend when there is a huge beer festival…well it’s like the difference between Moccaccino ice-cream and a punch in the nuts.

More later this week.

If you liked that, you might like...