AMCHPR China Tour 2018 - April 25 - Jinan, Shandong Day 1

Jinan Mountain Sea Culture Hotel, Daming and Xiaodong Lakes, 1st walk around the neighbourhood...
Zero horological content, but lots of Shandong eye candy.

There's no denying I'd had a great time in Liaocheng. My re-visits to Shandong Langelo Arts & Crafts Co., Ltd. and Shandong Liaocheng Zhong Tai Watch Co, Ltd.., and my re-meets of their respective Managers, Ma Xian  Ming and Li Song Dian, had filled my head with information, and with gratitude for the huge hospitality provided by both.

But also, as when I'd visited Liaocheng before, the information overload was also kinda overwhelming, so I was looking forward to some touristy relaxation and wandering,  and to no watch and clock related activity. Clear my head.

I'd been to Jinan once before, but only for a few hours, and only at night, on my way between Tianjin and Yantai for my first visit to Yantai Polaris, accompanied by my friend and CHA mentor, Li Wei. But I'd remembered it well, because of scenes like this...

...and I planned to return to Jinan for more time, someday.

Which turned out to be this day :-)

I didn't shoot anything on my trip from Liaocheng to Jinan. It was a two hour drive with a driver very kindly provided by Mr. Ma of Shandong Langelo Arts & Crafts (thank you, friend!), so I just relaxed and looked forward. My driver phoned ahead to get the hotel location, but when we turned in to the area, he asked if he could let me out a few of the inner city blocks away from my hotel, as the streets were really narrow. I was fine with that, the driver was a great guy and he had good reason to not want to drive deeper. So I walked down a few short alleys...

...arriving at about 12:45 PM, early afternoon, at the Jinan Mountain Sea Culture Hotel which I'd booked as soon as I read about the place. Reviews were very positive, noting great value, super accommodating staff, and uncommon atmosphere, the atmosphere courtesy that the hotel is a remodeled and repurposed older Christian Church.

I'd seen some photos, but I had no idea. The hotel is a straight up gem, and about $45 a night CDN. Good times!

I loved my room as soon as I laid eyes on it.

Comfortable couch, nice bed, perfectly decent...facilities...and all of this maybe 5 ot 10 minutes walk from some of the very best food and scenery that beautiful Jinan has to offer. What did I do? I dropped my bags, and hit the streets, headed for a full walkaround of quite nearby Daming and Xiaodong Lakes.

It was a warm and comfortable high overcast day, so no clear blues skies but also nothing to complain about. I had no schedule, no plans except for walking and shooting. Here's what I saw walking the outside left and top circuit of Daming Lake and then between Daming and Xiaodong Lake.

I left the park through that gate, and walked back through the neighborhood to the hotel, on the way passing...

...and including one of the cutest photos of the whole trip...

...and this "statement" piece...

...and through a foodie paradise...

...video of the foodie paradise in the next post. I did go back. Onward through the alleys...

..and back to the hotel.

I didn't make that late of a night of it. After a short regroup at the hotel, I headed back out for some Shandong pizza...and, yes, I found a terrific pineapple and bacon pizza in Jinan...

So I happily slammed that back, and hit the streets again for a short evening stroll around the area very close to the hotel...

And with that, it was back down the alleys to my hotel, for a terrific sleep, and fresh start April 26th, day 2 in Jinan, coming right up. Next post.

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Alternate video sources...