Three Days

Friday, August 7
We decided to skip the optional trip to the park with the rest of our group. On a side note to future adoptive parents, skipping tours is the biggest piece of advice I have. It's tempting to hit every one as you have a bit of cabin fever and you want to see as much as China as you can, but in the end, Grace was the one who suffered on those trips. She didn't get quality naps, and after a day or two of constant touring, we realized that Grace not only needed her sleep to be happy, but she needed her sleep to move forward with trusting us. By the second day of touring, we felt like Grace was regressing, and we made such progress on days when we just stayed in the hotel and took quality naps.

Okay, a bit off topic there for those of you not adopting. Between Grace's morning and afternoon nap, we ventured out to a local Buddhist temple grounds. It's right next to the hotel, and while the pagoda was under construction, we wandered around for a bit in the gardens, checked out the other buildings, and took pictures where we weren't allowed to take them (in my defense, I didn't see the sign until it was too late). It was nice to get out as a small family, but it was also nice to just stay out for a bit before heading back to the hotel for an afternoon nap.

We ate dinner (for the third time) at the Chinese restaurant to the right of the hotel. Our guide, Evelyn, called in the order for us, and I adored every dish. My favorites were the broccoli, the fried pumpkin, the potatoes, and the banana pancakes. I already miss that restaurant.

(Bret: I don't so much miss that restaurant. While good, it took me saying "BEER" a dozen different ways before they finally brought me something other than Coke and chicken necks. I understand the language barrier, but two hands drinking from something the size of a small barrel should internationally signal -- "man needs beer. now."

Saturday, August 8
We packed our bags, headed down for our last JinFeng hotel buffet breakfast and loaded up a bus for the airport. Grace's first plane ride was magically uneventful as she slept the entire time. She woke up as I stood up to exit the plane. I've got to hand it to the Chinese domestic carriers--they don't mess around with service on the plane. Our plane ride was 75 minutes, and those stewardesses squeezed in two beverage services and a meal. You'd be lucky to get a bag a pretzels on a domestic flight in the states.

(Bret: Erin seemed nonplussed by the site of what appeared to be a 15 year old Chinese video gamer situated behind the controls of our flight. In the end, the flight was very comfortable, but I'm fairly certain at one point I heard someone yell "Bonzai!!!!!!" from the cockpit. (Hmm...Is that a Japanese joke? Nevermind.))

We met our Guangzhou guides at the airport and headed to Shamian Island, the most western place in all of China. It was originally given to France and the UK in the 19th century, so the architecture is very European. Plus, everyone speaks English (with varied success), and you can find all kinds of western food; there's a Starbucks, for goodness sake.

(Bret: There's also an abundance of escargot and bad teeth. Go figure.)

We dropped off our laundry at Jordon's Place, and after days of
nothing but Chinese food, we headed to Lucy's, the local western
eatery. We each had cheeseburgers and fries, which tasted 80% like a
burger back home. But, after nothing but Chinese food, they tasted
great.

We checked into the Victory Hotel, as the rest of our group went to the adoption famous White Swan. Our first room was bordered by some construction that was still going strong at 10 pm, so I went downstairs to get a new room; after wheeling Grace's crib through the hallways, we ended up in a beautiful, non smoking (thank goodness) Japanese suite. We have two rooms, a soft bed, free internet and breakfast, and water we can drink right out of the spout. This hotel is not as poshly appointed as the White Swan, but for the same price, we've more than tripled our space, and at this point on the trip, we need a little more convenience than luxury.

(Bret: Erin is too polite. A pack of morons was pushing construction garbage from the 5th floor of the next building and then howling in laughter as various chunks of glass, concrete, and slate roofing crashed to the street below. When I went to the lobby at 9:30pm to complain, I was told that they would "stop before night." I replied, "It's 9:30pm and dark outside. What are you waiting for?" In the end, Erin successfully negotiated us a new room. I was too grumpy to further negotiate with the hotel staff.)

Sunday, August 9
We headed out for a city tour of Guangzhou which included another Buddhist temple, an amazing family museum (The Old Chen House), and a local arts and crafts store. In retrospect, we shouldn't have gone. It was just too much, pushed Grace too far, and left all of us hungry and tired. We did get to see some great sites, but it came with a high cost. We did visit the Buddhist temple on an important day--the birthday of one of the Buddhas. The temple was packed with people, incense and more people. As part of the celebration, there was an animal liberation ceremony, where eels, snakes, fish and turtles were turned back into the river. We saw so many people offering sacrifices of rice, money, bottles of water and apple juice. It was so different from anything I've experienced in the states, and so many of the images are ones I will carry with me for a lifetime.

(Bret: The Buddhist temple was hard on Erin. When we got back on the tour bus, she made everyone sing all of the verses of "Bringing In the Sheaves." She also kept singing "Jesus Loves the Little Children of the World" to Grace. Also, let it be noted that I'd hate to be an eel in an "animal liberation ceremony" if liberation involved me being dropped into the Pearl River late in the day. If I didn't dissolve in the caustic Pearl, I'd most likely be recaptured and sauteed by the end of the evening. Not good.)

After some shopping (we purchased a jade pendant for Grace and some pearl earrings), we headed back to the hotel for naps. We met up with most of our travel group later and headed for the Thai restaurant on the island (Cow and Bridge). Bret and I both love Thai food, and this restaurant did not disappoint. Grace continues to eat anything we give her, and Thai food is no exception.

Tomorrow, we head out to get a physical exam for Grace, a requirement of the U.S. government before we can enter the states. There will be plenty of crying pictures as Grace does not want anyone--except Mom and Dad--touching her.

(Bret: I told Erin tonight that at one point this afternoon I recalled the morning I left Indiana for China. I told her I think I was 24 and unmarried. It was so long ago. I have acquired a funny smell, a greasy complexion, and I now answer my cell phone, "Wei?" I need to get home.)