Last night, a dog and a bird had a noisy argument right outside my window. Qingdao has been very nice, and it has been really interesting meeting my relatives from my mom's side. There are cultural differences throughout China, since it is such a big country, and you can definitely notice how differently people behave from one part and another. Beijing is more like New York, where people are in a rush and everything is more hectic. In comparison, Qingdao is slower and more relaxed, and I think that is reflected in people's lifestyle.
The day before yesterday, I went with my cousin to climb a small hill where there is a beautiful temple and pagodas near the top. I don't really know what these points are called. Along the trail, people write wishes or blessings on red strips of ribbon and tie them to trees, balconies, and rails. It's really pretty actually. I can't read, but my cousin read one out loud that said, "wishing that you can find love."
I mentioned a small shrine by the sea, and she said, "that's really nothing, they just turned it into something for tourists. Let's go to the aquarium instead." So we went to what is, essentially, a small Seaworld, with dolphins, whales, and seals, among other things.
My relatives here have all been very kind to me, and I have had amazing, home cooked food. Sadly, I think I may be developing s shellfish allergy of some sort. It really sucks because the seafood here is so good, and there is so much variety. They use clams and small shrimp like Italians use garlic and onions--it's thrown into everything, just to help season dishes.
Yesterday, I went to Lao Mountain, a sacred mountain by Qingdao. It is Taoist, so there are lots of Taoist deities there. Buddhist monks usually wear orange and have their head shaved. Taoists grow their hair out, and wear trousers, usually in cooler colors. There was a free tour, which was a bit harder for me to understand since the Qingdao accent is different from the Taiwanese one that I am used to. When spoken slowly I can usually understand fine, since my grandparents spoke with that accent, but when it's fast I miss a lot. He explained that there are different ways men and women should worship, and that how they bow should be different. Many of the carvings are very intricate--in one area, every gate post has a lion, and the lions are all different--different facial expressions and hair styles. The panels are carved as well, depicting values, the zodiac, or types of flowers and mythical beasts. Supposedly the Taoists liked to live in caves to be free from material attachments and live off nature, so we also saw some caves that had been converted to dwellings. At each pavilion, there were incense provided, and you are supposed to burn three at a time only.
I would really like to come back to Qingdao, hopefully when the weather is more clear. The sea is pretty, but there was a lot of fog. Shandong province also has a lot of mountains, rugged and jagged like teeth.
Now I am on my way to Nanjing.
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