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The seasoned traveler is bound to enjoy a stay in Qingdao, a bustling seaport that offers a far different perspective on the East than its more popular cousins Beijing and Shanghai.

Because we were never introduced, I called him "The Screamer." Nobody else paid him any attention, as he stood facing the Yellow Sea, bellowing at the dawn.

With mouth closed, he would've been just another member of the crowd — the women in tank suits and bathing caps, the men in nylon briefs — most over 50 and exhibiting no concern for the American obsession with body image.

They swam, jogged, played volleyball or practiced gymnastics — while he screamed. There must've been a reason for shouting, but I couldn't muster enough Mandarin to ask.

I hadn't learned much beyond nihao (hello), xiexie (thank you) and yingwen maidan (English menu). That's probably insufficient to visit some Chinese cities, but it worked in Qingdao, home of the mainland's least threatening export: Tsingtao Beer.

Despite the difference in spelling, the names of city and beer are the same. Literally translated, Qingdao means "green island," but also sounds like "to pour." Fortunately for vacationers, both definitions apply.

In addition to beaches, the city boasts a cuisine based on fresh seafood, a fine temple converted into a folk museum and much better air than either Shanghai or Beijing. Its history mirrors that of other former concessions: colonized by Europeans, invaded by the Japanese, liberated first by Nationalists, then by Communists and most recently, by Capitalists.

The most-quoted description of Qingdao goes like this: "red roofs, green trees, blue sea, azure sky." Not your typical jingle for an industrial center of 7 million, but stroll along Lu Xun Park's seaside paths and you'll recognize the aptness of this expression.

There are still crowds, of course, but the density during our visit rarely surged past an entertaining level. I like watching people enjoy themselves — especially in China, where the faces are astonishingly varied: newlyweds posing for a photographer, formally attired in flawless white (except for the tennis shoes); grandmothers and grandsons, trousers rolled to the knee, netting crabs in tidepools; decorous old men airing their caged birds in a neighborhood square.

As for the Screamer, who knows? Maybe he was really a cheerleader, practicing for 2008, when Qingdao will host the sailing events for China's first Olympic Games.

Where to Stay
A range of hotels caters to business travelers and tourists. We chose the Huiquan Dynasty, 9 Nanhai Road, (86-532) 8299 9888, for its beachfront location. Nightly rates begin at 1100 yuan (about $142) but are often discounted by 40%.

Where to Eat
We enjoyed a satisfying lunch at Chun He Lou (Spring Peace House), 146 Zhongshan Road, (86-532) 8282 7371. Although a plaque declared this "A Designated Unit for Foreign Tourists," we noticed only one other foreigner in the place. House specialties include crab with ginger and chrysanthemum leaves with garlic. A meal for four, including drinks, came to 177 yuan.

West of Lu Xun Park, open-air seafood restaurants line the road to the Navy Museum. You choose from a living, splashing menu, then select the style of cooking. The best meal of our trip featured clams seasoned with red chilies, scallops steamed in the shell and several bottles of cold Tsingtao. All of that, plus a fine view of Huiquan Bay, for 160 yuan.

What to Do
The Tsingtao Beer Museum, 56 Dengzhou Road, (86-532) 8383 3437, lovingly chronicles the history of malt beverages. After encountering the "mystic yeast," you can pick up a few tips on beer appreciation, such as "serious swirling might easily be thought pretentious." The 50 yuan admission fee includes a pitcher of draft.

The Qingdao Folk Customs Museum, 19 Taiping Road, (86-532) 8479 5679, occupies a Ming dynasty temple built in 1467. An alleyway of workshops includes glassblowers, gourd painters, and papercut artists.

If you prefer souvenirs of seashell or wicker, descend to the warren of shops beneath the Qingdao Railway Station, 4 Tai'an Road, where you'll also find a tourist information center. For complaints or assistance, the English-language hotline is 5912000.

A view of the shoreline of Qingdao.

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