HELLOOOOOOOOOOO Guangzhou

Ni Hoa!

We finally arrived at the White Swan after about an hour on the bus. Everyone else from our agency is staying at the Victory. Why stay at the White Swan you ask? Well, for me, I wanted to get Amelia the "Coming Home Barbie" that is available ONLY at the Swan! It's a special deal they have with Mattel and they offer every adoptive family one when they stay here. Plus, the White Swan will be undergoing renovations this year and rumor has it that they will be shut down for about 10 months beginning in November. I've yet to ask any employees about this, but I plan on it.

Getting here was a challenge since our driver seemed to not know where he was going. He did perform a few, exceptional U-Turns that quickly impressed me! That is until I realized that he was in fact lost and went the same why twice before realizing that he was going the right way the first time. The disturbing part about all of this was the fact that Steve is sitting on the bus, telling the driver where he should be going. How does he know where he's at? He was here two years ago, for two weeks. He surely can't remember! But he does and he was right about where to turn and everything. Steve is a human GPS! I wonder where the button is to mark the waypoint in his system?

We get to our room and we have the same room as last time, only two twin beds. We did score one of about 5 rooms that have an adjoining door. We will miss the convenience of a suite, but a suite is an extra $200 a night...YIKES! The Victory has nice suites, but not a Barbie and the breakfast buffet is not nearly as nice as the Swan.

As soon as we got our bags to the room, I walked to the mini bar to check out the drink situation. I wanted to fall to my knees and weep...there was a COLD bottle of Chardonnay in the frig. After commandeering a bottle opener from the hotel staff, I had a nice glass of wine while unpacking. I say "nice" since I have a devil of a time locating Chardonnay in China. Red wine is very abundant, but not white. Don't know why either. So the frig is COLD here. We had to request ice at the last hotel since the frig didn't seem to work well. Again, another bonus at the Swan.

On bended knee when I saw this!

Elise slept through most of the unpacking. She zoned out on the bus and we had to put her in the stroller. I think she slept like this for about an hour.

Panda watching over his sleeping master.

Happily playing in her crib while we unpack.

Dinner was the next order of business. We headed to Lucy's Bar and Grille. Another location that is frequented by adoptive families while in Guangzhou! Again, I scored another glass of Chardonnay and we enjoyed sitting outside (although it was warm) and let the kids run around in the park that adjoins Lucy's Bar. It was a nice and relaxing evening and something that we desperately needed.

Relaxing at Lucy's Bar and Grille


Ice cream and Coke Light (FINALLY)!

This morning was "consulate paperwork" morning. We dined at the famous White Swan buffet and Elise was enthralled with all the fish in the fish pond. I gotta say, those suckers are HUGE! I'll post photos later. The one I took is not very good! Then it was off to the Victory Hotel to complete paperwork. That lasted about an hour and then we walked back to our room. It is HOT, HOT, HOT here.

Playing in Amelia's crib.

Completing Paperwork

Elise and I ventured out to the pool to see what was going on. It's beautiful and we'll have to head down there later. It's very hot and the pool will be a welcome activity.

The White Swan Gardens...

Finally, when we did return to our room, we found the Barbie that I was hoping for. The best part is that we scored TWO Barbies since we have two rooms! We got two with Elise's trip, but I gave one to another family that had an older daughter with them. Not sure what I'll do with this one, I'm thinking EBay!

Coming Home Barbie

The girls are doing great! Elise plays with Amelia more everyday. She is still a bit jealous and wants to ride in the stroller when Amelia is in it or wants to be carried when I'm carrying Amelia. We've borrowed another stroller in Guangzhou, so Elise can have her own stroller. But there are times when it doesn't matter.

Amelia still favors me. She gets rather crabby and throws herself around when she's tired. But she's sleeping great and sleeps all night her in crib. I had to wake her this morning at 7:15 a.m. since we had a meeting at 9:30 and we needed to eat breakfast before we went. I'm sure the sleeping will be rough once we get home. The jet lag will throw a wrench into things. But I can at least tell that she won't mind sleeping in the crib by herself.

Elise is even taking naps. I think she's suffering from jet lag still! Amelia just laid down in her bed and fell asleep. Isn't that dandy! Keeping my fingers crossed that continues. Maybe Elise will fall asleep too!

We passed on the Guangzhou Zoo today...not a very good zoo in my opinion. It's something we didn't really care for the last time we were here. So, we're relaxing in our room while it's so hot and we'll head out later. I'm thinking Danny's Bagels tonight and shopping!

Trying to get a picture...it's tough sometimes!

Mystery Photo #9

Hint.....you don't see many of these in the States any longer. Most of the time, we buy them the "self-serve" way.


Answer to yesterday's mystery photo....Brocade Loom!

Goodbye Chengdu.....

Our final, full day in Chengdu was spent at the Panda Research Facility and then doing a "scaled-down" city tour.

We left the Pandas and headed to lunch at a typical Chinese Restaurant that caters to tourists. Naturally, there was place to shop right outside the restaurant. This was a shop that sells embroidery. But not just any kind of embroidery....this embroidery is done with silk thread and it has the same details on BOTH sides. It is very beautiful and also pretty pricey. Acquiring a piece of this embroidery was on my shopping list, so naturally I was excited to enter.

Demonstrating how the embroidery is done.

Sichuan Province is known for their embroidery and Shu Brocade. I wanted to make sure that Amelia has a piece of each type of art work for later.

Then we headed to the Brocade Factory. After a tour and a demonstration of this ancient art that is passed on from Master to apprentice, I shopped some more. Again, I got Amelia a lovely brocade scroll titled "Four Beauties". The scroll shows four beautiful Chinese woman from various Dynasties. I have them all packed away right now. I'll have to get them out later and send photos. It really is beautiful work. Again, not cheap, but something that I wanted Amelia to have.

Shu Brocade is done on a loom about 12 feet long. It requires two people to operate it. It all looks very complex and intricate and it is. There are approximately 800 silk threads that are the base of the brocade. I feel sorry for the person who had to string those threads!

It takes about 8 hours to weave 2 inches of brocade. YOWSA...talk about labor intensive.

A brocade loom, this man is doing the weaving.

This is the second guy working the loom, he is sitting at the top.

The second man pulls threads up and down...I think. It's all very intricate and complex. I couldn't quite get all the details. You can see the black, silk thread that is the base of the brocade piece.

Panda Brocade

Next stop, Jin Li Street. This is a famous street in Chengdu that is full of street vendors. To my delight, there was also a StarBucks and I treated myself to a Raspberry Tea Frappucino Drink. It was cold and slushy and delicious!

This street is a famous tourist spot. There were loads of people taking photos of each other and it was very crowded.

Entering Jin Lin Market Street (see the StarBucks on the left)


Silly self-portraits of Mama and Elise

Happy and content in the stroller...for now!

A look down the street. It is very authentic and interesting.

The Chinese Version of an Arcade Shooting Game. They were shooting real arrows....don't think you'll see that in the States!

On another note, it's good to know that there are some things that are the same universally. We got to see two women in a "cat fight" while shopping. It was like a train wreck, people were gathering all around them. I was waiting for the Yuan to come out and the betting to start. We didn't stick around to see the outcome, although I was tempted.

Chengdu....at night out our hotel room window. It's actually a little tame since the photo was taken at 10:30, many lights are turned off.

We spent the evening in our hotel room, eating pizza and packing. Amelia loves to play with the stacking blocks. She doesn't walk yet, but she will pull herself up to the table and cruise around. She does crawl, but she drags her right leg a little. It's really nothing that I didn't expect, but she'll definitely need some PT when we get home. She has braces for her feet, but it's only to help her walk on the bottom of her feet. Otherwise, she would be walking on the sides of her feet. She chatters up a storm and she prefers me over Steve. But I believe that is because I'm the one who feeds her all the time.

Speaking of eating....she's a real pig. It's like she doesn't have an "off" switch. She'll eat as long as you put food in her mouth. That leads us to our next problem...bowel movements. This maybe TMI for some of you, so skip this paragraph. When we got Elise, we cheered when there was a #2 diaper. She was so bad, that we went through about a 1/2 bottle of suppositories while in China. So, this time, I came prepared....suppositories, children's prunes and in abundance. HA! Don't need them this time. This child is eating rice and bananas for the duration of this trip. I only hope that she doesn't have anything serious like Giradia. On the other hand, Elise is lucky to go everyday three days. It will be good to get home and start regulating their diets a little bit better. (Just another tidbit, I had to change TWO poopy diapers while typing this! Where is Steve, you might ask? Well let me tell you , he's in the Beauty Shop getting a haircut, yep! That's right!)

Did I mention that stacking blocks ROCK! I brought one set and had to buy another set since Elise thinks everything is hers and she's having "issues" sharing!

A crowd waiting for a store to open....it must be like Walmart the day after Thanksgiving!

A picture of McDonalds...they are EVERYWHERE in Chendgu!

So is Pizza Hut!

I call this a "Bicycle Traffic Jam"! It's actually people on bikes waiting to cross the street at a cross walk.

I'm of the mind that all of the HUGE cranes are in Chengdu and Beijing. You can't count them, there are so many in the skyline!

We left for the Chendgu airport at 9 a.m. for our final leg of our journey...to Guangzhou to get Amelia's VISA so she can come home. I'm always nervous about flights and getting there on time etc. Our guide, Andy, took care of getting our tickets and getting us to security. Before we passed through, he stopped each one of us to say goodbye. He looked at me and said, "I know your baby will have a good life." I could barely speak to him to say thank you. I always wonder how they feel when one of their own leaves their country. Are they sad, happy or both? My heart aches for all that China will lose when they lose a daughter to adoption. At the same time, I'm grateful to parent these amazing beauties!

Our flight was only about two hours and Amelia slept for the first hour and looked out the window for about the last hour. She was very good on the flight. The only problem I had was when she wanted to get on the floor and I wouldn't let her. Then the power struggle began. I had to hold her extra tight and tell her "Bu", which means NO! She didn't like it, but she eventually gave up when she realized I was giving in. She did the same thing to Steve on the bus. I heard him say, "You're not going to win, so you might as well give up!"

We did have one little guy that cried almost the entire flight. Naturally, he was with first time parents. It never fails that they get the fussy one in the group. I feel so bad for them...then I sit there with two little girls that are happy and content. Let's hope that continues during the 30 hours of travel time going home!

First flight....not too bad of a traveler!

Next post....from the White Swan, Guangzhou China!

Mystery Photo #8

I'm giving the food a break for awhile. But trust me, I have many more photos to share!

This art is not taught in any school....only from master to apprentice.

Answer to Mystery Photo #7...duck feet!!! No joke

Chengdu Panda Research Facility

Today was the long awaited Visit to the Chengdu Panda Research Facility. It's a world renowned facility that breeds and houses the endangered Giant Pandas. Elise chanted all morning about seeing the Pandas...and the giraffes and the tigers and the elephants. I finally gave up on trying to explain to her that we were not going to the zoo. She'd figure it out eventually.

We left the hotel at 8 a.m. since we wanted to get to the facility early. The Pandas are much more active in the cooler weather, so we were trying to beat the heat.

Monument outside the Facility Entrance

I'd like to say were were successful in beating the heat, but alas....IT WAS SO HUMID....Humid like Houston or Miami, Florida! UNBELIEVABLE.

The "park" was beautiful. It was full of bamboo walkways that provided shade (not much need for the shade since the sun rarely peeks through the pollution) and some coolness from the heat.

Elise is so excited to see the Pandas.

We first came to the adult panda habitats. Did I mention it was so humid that my clothes are already wet after walking for five minutes and there is sweat dripping down my back? The air was so thick, I thought I was on top of Mt. Phillips again trying to suck in oxygen! Suffice it to say, the Adult Pandas weren't moving much.

This poor guy is sprawled on the concrete trying to beat the heat. Personally, I wanted to join him/her.

We didn't see ANY action from the adults and I was beginning to worry that this would be the trend. We walked around for a good 30 to 40 minutes and then we came to the panda cubs. This is where the action is. Let me put it into parental terms....do you know how your kids will keeping going in any kind of weather? Well, that's what these little guys were doing and they were unbelievably cute. I've attached a few photos and I've also attached video. Try to turn on the volume and you can hear Elise chatting in the background. You can even hear Amelia chanting mama or baba (I can't remember which).

We were also lucky enough to see a month old panda cub. It was very,very small. Photos were not permitted, so we couldn't take any.

Big Panda eating bamboo....waiting for a group of tourists to get their photos taken.

Panda cub walking on his jungle gym


Finally, the Pandas....but no elephants and tigers.



They have toys just like our kids do. But they are clumsy like Gordo!

Way too cute!

A Red Panda

Walkway of Bamboo

Panda's Swinging....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdvtYeMAXv4

Clumsy Pandas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhemYaQs6Hs

More Panda video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDWmim9y2iQ

It was a very busy day. I have more stuff to post, but I have to get to bed. We leave for Guangzhou in the morning. I'll post more from there once we get settled into the White Swan.

Elise and Amelia are trying to play together. Elise is coming around a little more each day. I do my best to give her special time, Amelia too. I actually was able to put Amelia down in her crib while she was still awake....she whimpered a little and then was out like a light.

Amelia laughs and giggles and pinches my nose. She really is coming around. She even showed a little bit of temper with me today. She wanted out of my lap in the van and I made her sit still. It's the first time she's gotten mad and cried. I didn't give in and everyone was looking at us during the ride. I just kept smiling! I told her she has a long way to go if she thinks she's going to outlast me! I define stubborn!!!

Big smiles after a big day!

Next post....from Guangzhou. IT'S TIME TO SHOP!!!!!

Visiting People's Park

Today was another quiet day for us. We decided to take a taxi to visit "The People's Park" in Chengdu. It was built in 1911 and today is a lovely green space in the heart of Chengdu. There were many people there today. You saw woman doing what we would call line dancing, Tia Chi, some older men with their swords and then lots of grandparents with their grandchildren. Since it is summer break here, the park was full of children. It was a nice distraction today

Naturally, we draw a lot of stares in a city that doesn't see too many fair haired, Caucasians. I've had my photo snapped so many times, I feel like a star.

Line dancing?? Steve wanted to join in, but I wouldn't let him.

Monument to the people in the center of the park

Riding the carousel

A local woman gave each of the children a sucker. She was very kind.

Amelia's first ride...She wasn't too impressed.

Elise was in heaven to finally ride something like the brown horse at Meijers.

Getting ready for bed.

Tomorrow we will visit the Panda Breeding facility and tour the city. It is our last full day in Chengdu and then we head to Guangzhou. The girls are fast asleep. I hope Amelia sleeps through the night. She cried for about an hour in the middle of the night. I think she was mourning, nothing would calm her and it was such a pitiful cry. All I could do was cuddle her.

I've uploaded a video from today. Let me know if it works o.k. I have a few others I can upload if it goes well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytNoQOjjhw8

Mystery Photo #7

More culinary delights from the streets of Chengdu....
Could you please run that through the garden....NO WAIT! I can't eat the garden here, I'll get TD!


Answer to Mystery Photo #6.....Spicy Rabbit Heads, it's true. HOWEVER, I don't believe Andy. I think it's RATS!!!!!!