Last full day in Guangzhou

Today was our last full day in Guangzhou. Tomorrow we meet with the U.S. consulate, and by 6:15pm (China time), we'll be on the train to Hong Kong. I must say that I'm pretty excited to get home. I don't think I'll be able to eat an omelette or pork bun for breakfast for many months after we leave here. I have sucked the marrow from the Chinese hotel breakfast buffet, and there's nothing left for me to try.

We spent today lounging around our hotel, waiting for the call telling us that our paperwork was submitted successfully and the consulate was OK with everything. That came around 10:30am, at which point we made our way to a little local shop called A Gift From China. All proceeds go back into various orphanages in China, and their gifts were far nicer than the usual junk found around Shamian Island.

After shopping, we came back, took naps, and eventually headed out to dinner with some friends we've made on the trip. We had German food which was surprisingly edible. The only treacherous thing on the menu was "Detached Pig Knuckle." One of our companions noted that "at least it was detached." I suppose that's a good thing.

Tonight we zipped around the room, packing and organizing for the trip home. As I sit here typing, I'm listening to a Chinese TV broadcast from the next room. During our stay, we kept hearing conversations that seemed disturbingly close, and I kept peering out the window, trying to find a mystery balcony where people might be conversing or watching a TV. Eventually last night, Erin discovered that along the window behind our computer desk, we share a common ledge of sorts with the next room, and the wall doesn't meet the window. Therefore, there is a several inch gap leading into the next room. It was concealed by curtains, or we might have noticed it sooner. I immediately began considering how we might discard some of Grace's dirty diapers or sweaty socks into the gap in retaliation for the late night TV and loud conversations. Erin stopped me, as usual.

Grace continues to surprise us with her personality and physical abilities each day. Originally, she was this cute, snuggly little girl who let me hold her in my arms. Now she's a freaking ninja, smiling all the while. She will look at me, smile, and then rare back and smack the side of my head...giggling like crazy. If I hold her arms down, she cracks me with her foot. It's ridiculous. And she's so cute that I can't really get upset about the blood trickling from my ear. Perhaps she'll just outgrow it...

I'm about halfway through "The Kite Runner" now. I think I've finally got a handle on all the "blechs," but the book did take a rather disturbing turn, didn't it? Yikes...

Looking forward to getting home to Grant and introducing him to the ninja...