Summer camp is over, and Josh and I are back in Qingdao.  We had to cancel our plans for a vacation in South China so that we could renew our visas here in Shandong Province, our new home.  The process is proving to be more difficult than we expected.  Our original residency permit was issued in Liaoning Province, far to the north.  It would be easier if we just stayed put.  But if we did, we would miss out on beautiful Qingdao.

Qingdao is awash with wealth.  In a few months I probably won’t notice it anymore, so I want to record it all right now.

To begin with, our apartment on campus has hot running water, not just from the shower but also from the sink.  We didn’t know anyone in Jinzhou with a hot water sink, and now we have one!  We have a view of the ocean, too, but I am much more excited about the hot water.

The central business district in Qingdao is lined with shiny, new office buildings, labeled with the names of banks and insurance companies.  Stores like Gucci and Louis Vuitton are mixed in, just for good measure.

Josh and I don’t have much interest in Louis Vuitton luggage, but there is one luxury item that we need: Cheese!  You can’t buy cheese in Jinzhou.  You can’t even get unsweetened yogurt there.  But there is plenty of cheese in Qingdao.  We have been to the Jusco and seen the Brie, Camambert, Cheddar, Mozzerella and Feta.  We haven’t been to Carrefour yet, but we are planning a pilgrimage.

Qingdao’s coming out party is still two years away.  In 2008, Qingdao will host the sailing events for the summer Olympics.  The excitement is already building.  And in the mean time, there are plenty of small scale festivals.  The beer festival is next week, and it is supposed to be the biggest Octoberfest in Asia.  Stay tuned.