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hand in hand, being photographed left, right and centre. It was, after all, Saturday - a popular day for weddings - but the sight was somewhat surreal. Especially as perhaps none of them realised the more sombre use to which the ground they were walking on had once been put. The presence of so many beautiful brides and their dashing grooms explained another sight that greeted us in the road outside the park, that of dozens of taxis decked out with flowers, Mr and Mrs Mickey Mouse dolls, cabbage patch couples, and all manner of wedding paraphernalia. Our guide explained that wedding motorcades can only use taxis - no private cars are allowed to take part - and only a maximum of four vehicles can be used per wedding, otherwise traffic jams become too problematical.
What happened next was the only time that we had a serious difference of opinion with our guide. We were taken to a temple of sorts that had an “antiques and works of art" shop attached to it - and there we were left for an hour. As our time was so tight none of us were pleased at being given this normal tourist treatment. Did our guide not realise that we were far from being normal tourists? Quiet words were had with him, and to be fair there were no further such occurrences during the remainder of the trip. I have a picture of him at a fort in Port Arthur, sitting with his head in his hands. The caption must be something like: "Why did I have to end up with this lot?" To put the record straight, I was so pleased with how he had looked after us that, when we parted at Dalian airport, I gave him my copy of "Far from Home"; he was clearly delighted and touched by this.
To the southwest of the hill, along Fu Shan Road, is what is now the Ocean University of Qingdao. The university is housed in buildings that once constituted the enormous Bismarck Barracks. In full view of the Governor's residence, these barracks once housed upwards of 4,000 military personnel. The buildings have been preserved well. The former military parade ground is now a series of sports fields.
From the barracks it was onwards to the sea to Badaguan, formerly a popular residential area for the Germans, and apparently still a popular residential area, but for whom? Party officers? There seemed to be an air of privilege about the area still.
335
hand in hand, being photographed left, right and centre. It was, after all, Saturday - a popular day for weddings - but the sight was some- what surreal. Especially as perhaps none of them realised the more sombre use to which the ground they were walking on had once been put. The presence of so many beautiful brides and their dashing grooms explained another sight that greeted us in the road outside the park, that of dozens of taxis decked out with flowers, Mr and Mrs Mickey Mouse dolls, cabbage patch couples, and all manner of wedding paraphernalia. Our guide explained that wedding motorcades can only use taxis - no private cars are allowed to take part - and only a maxi- mum of four vehicles can be used per wedding, otherwise traffic jams become too problematical.
s were
What happened next was the only time that we had a serious dif- ference of opinion with our guide. We were taken to a temple of sorts that had an “antiques and works of art" shop attached to it - and there we were left for an hour. As our time was so tight none of us pleased at being given this normal tourist treatment. Did our guide not realise that we were far from being normal tourists? Quiet words were had with him, and to be fair there were no further such occurrences during the remainder of the trip. I have a picture of him at a fort in Port Arthur, sitting with his head in his hands. The caption must be some- thing like: "Why did I have to end up with this lot?" To put the record straight, I was so pleased with how he had looked after us that, when we parted at Dalian airport, I gave him my copy of "Far from Home"; he was clearly delighted and touched by this.
To the southwest of the hill, along Fu Shan Road, is what is now the Ocean University of Qingdao. The university is housed in build- ings that once constituted the enormous Bismarck Barracks. In full view of the Governor's residence, these barracks once housed upwards of 4,000 military personnel. The buildings have been preserved well. The former military parade ground is now a series of sports fields.
From the barracks it was onwards to the sea to Badaguan, for- merly a popular residential area for the Germans, and apparently still a popular residential area, but for whom? Party officers? There seemed to be an air of privilege about the area still.
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