ByGD
It was called a night market, but looked more like a night mall. In any case, we foolishly visited during the day. There were no shoppers and hardly any stalls or shops were open. Maybe it’s for the best, because it was easier to appreciate the unique and slightly magical atmosphere of the place. It reminded me a little bit of the Night Circus.
We meant to go back at night but never did. Did we miss the magic? Or did we only miss the commerce?
ByGD
I think the Atrium City shopping street in Qingdao is meant to be experienced at night. It seemed pretty dead when I visited in midday on a trip in 2015. But if the shopping left me underwhelmed, the fake night sky and sense of otherworldliness did impress. I hadn’t read the book The Night Circus yet, but looking back at the pictures, that’s what Atrium City’s night sky reminds me of today.
ByGD
The entrance to Atrium City.
When you’re 10 years old, the most important part of traveling is buying souvenirs for your friends, so we spent our first afternoon in Qingdao shopping. I wasn’t quite ready for Chinese public transportation, so I played rich foreigner and asked the hotel to call a taxi to deliver us to Atrium City, an entire city block under cover of a fake night sky, populated with shops and restaurants whose facades replicated famous Qingdao landmarks. Ten yuan ($1.60) later, we left the cab and entered a magical grotto. I was as impressed as my 10-year-old by the soaring painted ceiling, fake trees and replica buddhas at the entrance. Read More