I am very sad to report that I am writing this post from Dalian, and not the intended weekend destination of Qingdao. To live up to the previously-stated pact, Marianna and I chose the quaint, sea-side town of Qingdao, famous for it's European architecture and lovely coastal landscapes. Qingdao has a rich and diverse history that has contributed to it's dynamic present state. In 1897, the Germans colonized Qingdao until 1941 when the hand of power shifted to the Japanese. The Germans left their distinct mark which is visible in the architecture, the bratwurst sold as street snacks, and in China's most famous brewery: Tsingtao (Qingdao) brewery. This brewery was established in 1903 by German occupants who were homesick for their mother country. Right now, Qingdao is a thriving city and a popular destination for both Chinese and international tourists. Every August, Qingdao holds China's largest beer festival in which participants can delight in international brews from America, Holland, and Germany.
Rewind two days ago and I'm in my dorm room, excitedly packing my bag while chatting with home friends, Heather and Texas David. I make sure to pack all the essentials that I forgot to bring to Beijing: shower sandals, hair dryer, student ID, etc. I was fully prepared for this trip and eager to venture out. Marianna and I arrived at the airport at 8:45 PM, well in time for our 9:40 PM flight. Security check was a breeze and we found ourselves at Gate 9 with plenty of time to spare. We played some cards. I read part of "A Thousand Splendid Suns" ( AMAZING book, totally recommend it). However, our first warning sign of an unsuccessful journey was the lack of staff at our gate entrance. The next was when we failed to board 30 minutes in advance. Lastly, over the intercom, our suspicions were confirmed. "Dear Travelers, we regret to inform you that flight CZ2648 has been delayed due to poor weather." Little did I realize that I would hear this message dozens upon dozens of times after that.
9:40 came and passed with no signs. I was actually surprised at the length of time passengers waited before complaining about the situation. The poor staff ( I really did feel sorry for them) though inevitably were swamped with very angry and very verbal customers. Unfortunately they had no immediate answers to appease the angry mob and free Sprits and snack boxes were quickly distributed. The staff notified customers that the plane was still currently in Qingdao and hadn't left... but was about to depart any moment. One and a half hour later, we still had the same story. (Mind you, it takes 40 minutes from Qingdao to Dalian.) They kept teasing us with news of an imminent flight but in the end, it just never happened. Marianna and I decided at 1:15 AM, 4.5 hours later, that it was time to throw in the towel and postpone Qingdao for another time. As we were leaving, the airport staff said a flight was arriving at 1:45 AM. At that point though, we were sleepy, cold, and just tired of waiting. We quickly hailed a cab, dashed home, and promptly fell asleep.
The next day, we successfully returned our air tickets and indulged in a little retail therapy :). There is always a silver living to everything and I bought 2 pairs of Uniqlo pants for a total of 200 RMB! Of course I am disappointed that our trip fell through but I figure that Qingdao will be prettier to visit in the springtime. Plus we were very productive this weekend and started researching for our next big trip together: Harbin!! Possibly the coldest city in China and home to the famous Ice Lantern Festival! If I learned one thing from this weekend, it's that waiting in an airport is SO much better with a book and a friend. And if you're flying from Dalian, expect lots of weather delays. Yay! Fun times ahead for me.
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| What we missed out on!! Laoshan, Qingdao |
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