We tried to go to the beach today. I mean, we made it there, but the whole “beaching it up” part didn’t exactly happen as the entire stretch of shoreline was covered and saturated with an endless pile of green algae. The Chinese knew how to do it though. From seaweed fights, to burying friends, to splashing in the waves, to lounging on the shore, everyone seemed to be having a good time.

As I watched, I wished I wasn’t so freaked out about have bits of green algae stuck all over my skin, but I couldn’t overcome my hesitation. Rather than playing in the waves, Matt and I huddled under our little umbrella, eating cherries, and watching everyone else enjoy themselves.

this little kid was only wearing his floaty ring

This was entertaining enough, but only for an hour or so, after which we decided we’d had enough of the beach for one day. We hopped on a bus headed towards the main downtown area and went to a grassy park where I promptly laid down and fell asleep in the cool shade. (Sleeping in parks…a reoccurring theme in Qingdao.)