Washed out in Qingdao

To Qingdao for a relaxing weekend to escape the blistering heat and grey skies of Beijing. Qingdao is a seaside resort about 1000km south east of Beijing. With the Laoshan mountains as a backdrop and a temperate climate, Qingdao is reputedly one of China's prettiest cities.

The city was a German concession in the late 19th century and the old town still bears witness to their influence. Red brick buildings and European tiled roofs create a Sino-Bavarian feel to the place. But the most noticeable, and lasting, symbol of the German presence is the Tsingtao brewery whose beer graces tables at Chinese restaurants across the world and is one of China's most visible and successful brands. In fact, for the next two weeks Qingdao celebrates its annual Beer Festival - an Oktoberfest style drinking and eating extravaganza with breweries from across the world putting their wares on show.

Unfortunately, we have chosen our weekend break during Qingdao's worst weather for a long time. 24 hours of non-stop thunderstorms and torrential rain have flooded streets throughout the town and we are virtually trapped in our hotel until Sunday.

Unable to walk around we head for indoors entertainment - the Tsingtao brewery museum (flashbacks to a wet few days in the Algarve some years ago when cabin fever took me to the Sagres cork museum). Everything you need to know - and more - about the history and brewing process of Tsingtao beer is can be found here, including a bizarre 'Tipsy Room' which allows you to experience being drunk without touching a drop.

Qingdao is also the host city for the Olympic sailing events next summer and a warm up regatta is running there in August, so the city's hotels are full of iron-pumping international sailors as well as beer festival drinkers.

A trip to the Beer Festival was a must and we wandered around the various brewery sponsored beer tents each of which was selling food, beer and providing entertainment. We had a beer and a snack at the Weihenstephaner beer tent - reputedly the oldest working brewery in the world - to find a very lively singer entertaining the crowd.

Qingdao attracts coach loads of Chinese tourists to it's beaches and waterfronts - many of whom have never seen the sea before and had a wonderful time splashing about and trying to avoid the breaking waves over the sea wall.

Several kilometres of sea front have been paved and planted to offer a beautiful walking path along the sea. We walked along here Sunday afternoon, as the sun came out, and enjoyed a beer overlooking the water before heading back to the airport.