Small Qingdao Island, Shandong, China

4Soko37 5:00 PM Mar 6, 2020

Xiaoqing Island Small Qingdao Island
One ☝️ of monument for old city and history. Small island ? with lighthouse. It was closed when we wanted to walk around. Neighbouring with naval museum and connected with main land with road. Connected to seaside path from downtown, eventually take the bus ?

4SOH KIEN PENG 5:00 PM Oct 24, 2015

Scenic and Tranquil
I woke up early in the morning and I walked from my hotel near Huiquan Park to this attraction. It is free admission if you visit the attraction before 8 am. After that hour, there is a charge of RMB10. The way the mainland is connected to the Green Islet reminded me of my Sentosa island in Singapore. But this islet is even smaller than Sentosa. As it is a park, people came here early in the morning for a stroll but it is not crowded and the air is fresh and the atmosphere tranquil and serene. I took my leisure time to walk around the rocky beach near to the lighthouse. From the beach, I could view the landscape of the skyscrapers on the other side of the sea where the Zhanqiao Pier is located. That beautiful morning, the crimson rays of the morning sun cast her light on the beach and I could see the clear coastline with one or two visitors standing at the rocks with their fishing lines. As I glanced back from the rocky beach, I could see the white marble lighthouse tower loomed at the background. The marble lighthouse on this green islet reminded me of the national humiliation inflicted on the Chinese people when German imperialists coerced the dying and weak Ching Dynasty to lease out Qingdao to Germany in 1898 and the Germans quickly constructed this lighthouse in 1900 for their navigation purpose. When the Japanese invaded Qingdao in 1940s, a reinforced concrete beam sea wall was constructed to connect this islet with the mainland. So, both the reinforced beam sea wall and the navigation lighthouse were `gifts' contributed by the imperialists and preserved to these days to `redeem their sins'. The islet is also named the Lyre Island as it shaped like a lyre and a sculpture of a girl playing a lyre (Guqin) was constructed at the center of the park looking towards the Yellow Sea. The magnificent statue blended well with the picturesque coastline and the beautiful seaside scenery. I stood at the waterside pavilion and listened to the soothing rhyme created by the sea waves splashing against the beach rocks. It was mesmerizingly beautiful and at that little moment, I felt a sensation of warmth and happiness enveloped me like the waves of tsunami. I recommended this visit as part of a solo morning walk to the Lu Xun Park, Bathing Beaches, the Signal Hill, the Little Fish Hill Park and the Navy Museum. It is a marvelous exploration discovery of the beautiful gems at this part of Qingdao. I felt so close to nature and felt her gentle touch as the cool sea breeze caressed my face when I was all alone on this green islet.