BEIJING: Following a brief rain shower, the sky cleared and revealed a picturesque scene off the coast of Dalian, Liaoning province, with the billowing clouds and blue waters accentuated by the white sails of boats.
As the tour sailboat moved past a lighthouse on the morning of Aug 19 and departed the harbor, the tall buildings along the shoreline unfolded before the tourists’ eyes like a painting.
One of those enjoying the sightseeing tour was 10-year-old Liu Linxuan from Beijing, who told his mother he was reluctant to say goodbye to the beautiful seaside spot in Zhongshan district’s Dalian Old Wharf Scenic Area.
“The sun was scorching,” the boy said. “But once the sailboat started moving — the cool breeze blowing in my face, the splashing waves trailing behind the boat, and the seagulls flying around us made me really enjoy the voyage.”
Located on the southernmost tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, Dalian faces the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea. Including its islands, it boasts a coastline of 2,211 kilometers, the longest of any Chinese city.
This summer, amid the prolonged heat waves in many regions, the northeastern port city’s relatively cooler climate has attracted domestic tourists seeking relief, and turning it into a haven for beach lovers. Sailboat camps and boat trips have been popular activities with visitors.
After adjusting to the sway of the boat’s movement, Liu Linxuan took out chunks of a ham sausage he had bought earlier and tossed them into the air for the seagulls to catch in their beaks. He delighted in the birds’ swift gobbles of the morsels. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
