2026 Exploring Qingdao China's Unexpected German City Surprises - Reanne & Ben #OTWD

2026 Exploring Qingdao China's Unexpected German City Surprises - Reanne & Ben #OTWD

More about the current video:(Published on 2026-07-20)

We Finally Made It to China’s German City… And It’s Nothing Like We Expected

In this video, travelers Reanne and Ben finally arrive in Qingdao, a city in Shandong Province that they've been eager to visit for over two years. They're immediately struck by how different it is from other Chinese cities—it's a beer lover's paradise with a strong German colonial influence.

Their first stop is the bustling area around the Tsingtao Beer Museum, but the massive queues deter them from entering. Instead, they explore the surrounding streets, marveling at the sheer volume of beer-related everything. Ben notes that unlike in the UK or US, there are no police and no visibly drunk people, despite the beer festival atmosphere. The couple then attempts to navigate the city's metro system, hilariously getting lost in true OTWD style. They eventually find their way to a famous pedestrian street lined with street food stalls and beer vendors.

A highlight is their interaction with a local beer vendor, where Ben confidently samples different brews while Rianne opts for a local cola. They also indulge in juicy Chinese sausages and a flaky beef pie, all while soaking in the vibrant night market energy. The couple then visits St. Michael's Church, a landmark from the German colonial era, and notices locals collecting shells on the beach—a curious local tradition. As night falls, they head to May Fourth Square, where the city transforms into a stunning cyberpunk skyline, a complete contrast to the old-world German architecture seen earlier. Ben also shares a fun fact: the beer is spelled 'Tsingtao' because it retains the original German spelling, while the city was later anglicized to 'Qingdao'. The video ends with a teaser for Ben's upcoming birthday stay at a unique hotel.

FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)

Q: Why is Tsingtao beer spelled differently from the city of Qingdao?: A: Because the beer retains the original spelling from when it was first brewed during the German colonial period, while the city's name was later anglicized to 'Qingdao'.

Q: Was there a lot of police and drunk people at the beer festival?: A: No, there were hardly any police and no visibly drunk people, which was a stark contrast to what you'd expect at a beer festival in the UK or US.

Q: What was that local cola Rianne tried?: A: It's a local brand called 'Future Cola', which has a completely different taste from Coca-Cola, more like a Lucozade cola.