Self-driving Jiangsu and Shandong (21) Coastal National Forest Park

Traveling Together Season 9 - Self-driving Jiangsu and Shandong (21) Coastal National Forest Park Qingdao-Rizhao, Shandong June 27, 2020 (Day 20) Cloudy to overcast, temperature 20-28 degrees Celsius. We stayed at the Qingdao Huanghai Hotel (Fig. 1) for two nights. I stayed here 10 years ago, mainly because of its location and convenient transportation. I opened the curtains in the morning to see an overcast sky. After breakfast, we went out to catch up on some sightseeing, heading to another popular spot two subway stops away - Zhanqiao Pier. Zhanqiao Pier has a history of over 100 years. It is the earliest military artificial wharf and a landmark building and famous scenic spot in Qingdao (Fig. 2). Zhanqiao Pier was first built in 1892 (the 18th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty). At that time, the bridge was 200 meters long and 10 meters wide. After reconstruction in 1901, the bridge was extended to 350 meters and remained a military wharf. After the completion of the first wharf of Dagang Port in 1904, Zhanqiao Pier gradually lost its historical mission as a wharf and began to open to tourists. In September 1931, the Qingdao Municipal Government invested in its expansion, extending the bridge to 440 meters. Zhanqiao Park was built along the coast at the north end of the pier, where trees and flowers were planted. An arrow-shaped breakwater was added to the south end of the pier (Fig. 3), and the Huilan Pavilion, with its national style, was built on the breakwater. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the government has repaired Zhanqiao Pier many times. The bridge is now 401 meters long. At the south end of the pier is the double-eaved, octagonal, two-story Huilan Pavilion (Fig. 4). Inside the pavilion, there is a 34-step spiral staircase. Climbing the tower and looking into the distance, the scenery of the Qianhai Sea comes into full view. This is one of the ten scenic spots of Qingdao, "Feige Huilan" (Flying Pavilion and Returning Waves). At the entrance of the scenic spot, we seized the time to complete an aerial photography session (Fig. 5), satisfied with our sightseeing and aerial photography catch-up. At 9:40, we left the hotel and headed to the next stop. Just out of the city, we were startled to hear the navigation tell us to take the "Xinguan Elevated Road." With no other option, we braced ourselves and drove on. Afterward, we took the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, G22 Qinglan Expressway, and G15 Shenyang-Haikou Expressway, arriving in Rizhao at 12:15 pm. Rizhao, named after "the first light of sunrise shines here," is located on the coast of the Yellow Sea in the southeastern part of the Shandong Peninsula. It has a 168.5 km coastline and is known as the "Capital of Water Sports" and the "Oriental Sun City." Rizhao belonged to Dongyi during the Xia and Shang dynasties and is one of the birthplaces of the Longshan Culture. At 2:30 pm after lunch, we went to the Coastal National Forest Park as planned. The park is composed of beaches and forests. The park is quite large, and private cars are not allowed inside. Without a proper tour guide, we rented a two-person four-wheeled bicycle and wandered around aimlessly. The most impressive thing was that the "forest" lived up to its name. The large area of metasequoia trees looked at least 20 or 30 years old, straight and towering (Fig. 6). Walking among them provided shade, coolness, and a fresh, comfortable feeling. There was also a scenic spot called "Chui Liu Di An" (Weeping Willow Embankment), where weeping willows swayed gracefully along the shore, and lotus flowers swayed in the pond, creating a scene of lush greenery (Fig. 7). For those who dislike noise, this is probably a good choice (Fig. 8). The Yellow Sea beach in the park is made of natural fine sand, one of the best among the beaches in the Jiaodong Peninsula. It was almost evening when we left the forest park, so we stopped by the lighthouse scenic spot in Rizhao Port. The Rizhao Lighthouse Scenic Area is adjacent to the Wanpingkou Seaside Scenic Area and the World Sailing Championship base. It is named after the lighthouse in the area (Fig. 9). With the lighthouse and natural reef groups as its theme, it integrates landscapes such as revetments, wooden walkways, and hard paving. When we arrived, a thick fog began to roll in, reducing visibility. After the drone took off, it became covered in fog, so we had to retreat. Tomorrow, we will leave Shandong for Jiangsu, planning to stay overnight near Yancheng before heading straight to Shanghai.