on the map as China 's sailing hub ; no longer a secret that holiday-making officials could keep for themselves . But my American spell-check does n't recognize it -LRB- which says more about my spell-check -RRB- , and you can still find pre-Cultural Revolution manhole covers . So what is it about this city that seduces the unassuming traveler ? Nestled on the coast of Shandong province , almost exactly halfway between its big sisters , Beijing and Shanghai , Qingdao features as a handy pit-stop on East coast itineraries . It boasts great infrastructure , a charming climate , alfresco eateries , good coffee , sandy beaches , German history , international hotels , a brand new airport and even a famous brewery . Qingdao could pass itself off as a miniature Seattle if it were n't for the fact that pretty much no one outside of the five-star hotels speaks English , and that communism still articulates itself through the tourist beaches , stoically named Number One to Number Six . `` In mainland China , Qingdao 's history is uniquely international ; in fact , more of the city 's cultural identity is wrapped up in
QINGDAO , China -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Another round of toasts and exclamations of `` hajiu '' sounded out around me . I took a sip and set down my small glass of Tsingtao beer as my new friends downed theirs and refilled . Our seafood dinner , perched on the single cluttered table of a tiny antique shop , was punctuated regularly by such moments . A worker operates the giant fermentation units at the Qingdao Brewery plant in Qingdao . I joined in happily , although somewhat bemused , at each increasingly beery celebration of our host , the worldly Captain Jau . My company , a gathering from four regions of China , was engaging me in Chinese drinking etiquette , in the city of Qingdao . A few drinks in the People 's Republic of China led me to discover European delights and other unexpected finds in this modest city . You 'd be forgiven for not knowing where Qingdao -LRB- pronounced Chingdao -RRB- is . The Chinese city in Shandong province does n't roll off the tongue as easily as Beijing , Shanghai , or even Xi'an . The 2008 Olympics gave it a place