Proper communists

After Japan we returned to the northeastern Chinese port of Qingdao, famous for its beer and beaches, which will next year host the Olympic sailing competitions. We'd spent a few days here before getting the ferry to Japan, but the fog (or sea fret as Faye insists) never lifted enough for us to judge its seaside beauty. Fortunately the second time around we had some sun, but the sea looked a bit too murky to try a swim. It's a strange place - about 100 years ago it was run by the Germans, who left very incongruous European mansions, churches, and most importantly, a very tasty local brew. On every street there are several hole-in-the-wall bars with kegs of Tsingtao beer stacked up on the pavement, which they serve in the old-fashioned pint jugs with handles. Delicious, chilled (I don't know how it was cold in the summer, but it was) draught beer, for 14p a pint. Aahh...

The pier and beach number 6


You're never more than five yards from a food vendor in China



Realising how close we were to one of the most inaccessible, secretive countries in the world, we then decided to get a train up to Dandong, a small town just across the river from North Korea. Unlike its neighbour, China has pretty much given up on the economic side of communism at least, and typically there were several local entrepreneurs ready to take tourists in boats across to within a sandwich's throw of the North Korean town of Sinuiji. (As a westerner it's almost impossible to get any closer, although Chinese tourists are usually permitted into the country.) I was fascinated by the thought of even a glimpse of what I imagine to be a country stuck in the 1950s at best, so I got out the telephoto lens and across we went. We did manage to see some life, and without meaning to be cruel, there was a part of me that was disappointed to see that it all looked reasonably prosperous and actually quite similar to China. There were even a few modern-looking cars (although I did wonder if they belonged to Chinese tourists). I suppose it's possible that the authorities ensure that the one part of their country easily visible from the outside shows it in a good light. Having said that, at night it was interesting to stand by the river and compare the bright lights and neon of Dandong with the darkness punctuated by the occasional flicker over in the North Korean town.

There is a functioning bridge between the two countries, built recently to replace the one you can just see in the foreground, which was destroyed by the Americans during the Korean War.


The large group may be Chinese tourists, it's hard to say. I'd love to know what the poster says - anyone know?