The best way to get to know a country is having a few drinks with the locals. In China chances are high you will hear “Ganbei!” while holding a glass of Tsingtao beer. It’s helpful to know that gānbēi (干杯) means “dry cup” and you are expected to do bottoms up. Even more intriguing is that you can drink beer from a bag in Qingdao.
So I figured it would be a good idea to travel to the birth place of Tsingtao beer … surprise surprise … the city of Qingdao. In Chinese you pronounce Q as Ts which explains why the Germans, who started the brewery, changed a few letters.
Checking out the brewery is kinda of a must when in Qingdao. It costs 60 RMB and includes a free beer.
By the way the peanuts you get with the beer are soooo good! You’ll just crave another beer. Drop a comment or send me a message if you know which brand is behind it!
Hands down the best seafood I ever had in China so far
While the main intention of this trip was to explore the beer capital of China I soon realized that it was worth coming here just to enjoy the seafood.
Just look at these pictures 😮 Restaurants here have aquariums where you can admire all the lively sea creatures. And it’s up to you to decide which individuals in each thank will end up on your plate. Watch out for escaping crabs and don’t step on sea stars that manged to crawl out.
Once the staff caught your picks it’s time to decide whether you want it boiled, steamed, grilled, fried or baked.
The nice thing about this concept is that even if you don’t speak Chinese you can just point and see what happens next 🙂
Here are 2 places we enjoyed an epic seafood feast:
- 上桥水产(五四广场旗舰店),★★★★★,¥246/人,万象城 海鲜,澳门路29号 http://m.dianping.com/appshare/shop/67195294
- 船梆煮·蒸汽海鲜大咖,★★★★★,¥179/人,香港中路沿线 海鲜,云霄路8号 http://m.dianping.com/appshare/shop/32867906
You can open these links in the browser or even better in the dianping app (a must have for foodies traveling in China)
Dirty coffee, messy but so damn good
I usually I prefer my coffee without bells and whistles, no sugar no milk, no crazy toppings. On the other hand I also like to try new things and It was the look of this tasty masterpiece that convinced me. It took the shop 20 minutes to prepare 3 servings but it was worth the wait.
It tastes and looks as if a fluffy tiramisu volcano was build around a good cup of coffee.
The dirty trend is not new in China. It all stared with a dirty bun, a pastry with chocolate cream and custard on the inside. Chocolate ganache on the outside and generously covered with cocoa powder. So dirty does not refer to the taste but how messy it (and you) looks when you take a bite.
Stay in Shangri-la for just $120 USD
Qingdao is one of those places where it’s still super cheap to stay in luxury hotels. Shangri-la was on my list for a while and I only paid about $120 USD per night. Make sure to get a room in the newer Valley Wing!
And here is a video of Shangri-la lobby in Qingdao.
The level of luxury reminded me a bit of light version of flying First Class. Although nothing beats Dom vs Krug tasting in a double bed suite onboard Singapore airlines at 30.000 feet. But paying just $120 USD for Shangri-la is a bargain. Definitely when looking at what a night in the Shanghri-la normally costs in Shanghai (over $400) and London (over $600 USD).
Happy travels in Qingdao
I just covered the foam of the beer in this post. There is still much more to explore in Qingdao and it’s another perfect spot to spend a weekend.
Leave a comment with your questions or travel tips for fellow travelers 🙂
