Hey Hey and a Big G'Day toya,

This morning I woke feeling very VERY under the weather!

The side effects of what was a great night at the night market last night with several tables of people and far too much seafood and beer. I had such a great evening and thankfully most of the people knew a lot of English which made things so much better. Most of them work in import/export business and though they use their English often they actually never get to use it in such a relaxed manner so for most it was a new experience and one that caused great uproar around us.

I can’t say that I have laughed so hard in the past year.

The night shots on this page ware of the first group of people that came over to sit with me. My phone/camera battery died soon after as it had been used all yesterday on Luigong Island. Some of them stayed until stumps and others came and went but all in all it was a night that I needed very much left me in great spirits all through today’s adventure.

As I found a map last night that is in both English and Chinese my plan today was to head to the lighthouse on Jinxianding Mountain and then along the foreshore for as far as my feet would take me, so that’s exactly what I did. When I arrived at the small mountain as hard as I tried I couldn’t find a thing. I took a couple of small roads and then headed to the end of Jinxianding Road to the small navy port but there was no lighthouse to be found. I then asked some locals who all seemed rather confused with the map and they all told me there was no lighthouse on the small hill.

In the end I gave in and continued my foreshore walk along Haibin Road.
I had to use the actual road as at the moment the foreshore is a complete mess and construction site.

When I arrived at Weihai Park I once again found myself walking through beautiful foreshore parks. It was here that I spotted the lighthouse which was across the other side of the beach at Yuehai Park. Either it has been moved or they put it in the wrong park when they created the map. I’m kind of thinking they got it wrong when printing the map as moving a lighthouse would be a huge job. Around Weihai Park there are so many new apartment buildings being built and these ones won’t come cheap when they are finally put on the market. When I rounded the far corner of the park I came to Yangjia Bay which held a surprising sight. At its far end there was a large bridge that looked very out of place due to the tide being out. I would love to have arrived many hours before and seen it with the tide in with small gentle waves lapping at its feet.

Oh well, can’t have everything!

I spent an hour here resting my feet and watching the sun go down and as quickly as the street lights came on my stomach came alive and I realised how hungry I was. In my eagerness to head out find a new adventure I had actually forgotten to eat. My hunger was ferocious and as I had noticed several Bus Number 10’s whizzing up and down Haibin Road I decided that it was the bus for me and thankfully it was.

You can catch Bus Number 10 from near the Happiness Arch all the way to Yangjia Bay.
My walk today was surprisingly full of beauty.

The park actually runs all the way along the beach and it took me around three and a half hours to walk from the Happiness Arch to Yangjia Bay. It can be done in a much quicker time but I was taking photos and stopping to have a look at the many statues and sculptures that are found along the way. Today I realised something so simple yet it is so strange. I remember seeing it in Baihai (Guangxi Province) back in 2006 or when ever it was but it didn’t click then but after being in Yantai, Penglai and here in Weihai I realised that it was a reality.

What am I jibbering on about you ask?

In the west when children (and big children like me) are at the beach we make actual sand CASTLES because that is our history and what can be found in England and all throughout Europe. I had never stopped to question what Chinese children make at the beach but over the past week or so I have found out. They don’t make sand castles they actually make sand ancient walled cities and towns like Xian or Kaifeng or Pingyao. I have been walking past these sandy structures each day and it wasn’t until today that I realised what they were and when the penny dropped I actually stopped in amazement.

History and culture also play apart in something as simple as what our children build on the beach!

But it is not until you actually think about it that it makes sense. I bet if you ask your buddy if Chinese children build sand CASTLES on the beach he or she will answer yes! But yes is not correct because they build sand Ancient Walled Cities. I actually asked two young kids what it was they were building but I couldn’t understand their answer but when I mentioned Xi’an city they laughed and said yes.

Why in the world did I ever think that children all over the world built sand castles!

For those that find them selves in this part of Shandong Province I really would recommend passing by time in Yantai and spending your time in Penglai and Weihai. After spending several days here in Weihai I would easily put it near the top of my list of favourite cities in China. Nothing is overpriced and not once have I been treated as a cash cow like in Yantai. The city is clean and tidy and everyone uses the bins that are provided. There are English signs everywhere and the people are so friendly, curious and laidback.

They are so proud of their city and have every right to be.
So Weihai, do it, pack and get gone!
Beers N Noodles toya…..shane
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The soundtrack to this entry was by Buffalo Tom
The album was 'Sleepy Eyed’
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