A date with old quarries-turned-ecological park in Weihai

A pair of photos showcasing what Huaxiacheng Scenic Area looked like before and after the massive transformation project in Weihai, East China's Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Weihai, a coastal city sitting on the tip of the Shandong Peninsula, wowed a cohort of foreign journalists and influencers with its clean oceans, leisured coastal lifestyle and vibrant folk culture, during their three-day media tour from June 5 to 7.

Huaxiacheng Scenic Area, the last stop featured in the "A Date with China–Meet Shandong" international media tour, turned out to be a jaw-dropper.

Upon stepping on the 370-meter-long glass bridge that towers to the height of 80 meters, few can breathe normally on this structure evocative of the last game in Squid Game. Above the head are the blue sky and white clouds, near and dear. Beneath the feet are lush willows waving in the wind.

Yet, the bridge serves as a vantage point to take in the picturesque beauty of this national AAAAA scenic area (the country's highest rating), which, to the surprise of virtually every visitor, used to be old quarries 20 years ago.