Guangzhou is an amazing city. We woke up this morning and had a breakfast that was like mothers day at the Odyssey restaurant, by the way did I tell you this hotel is like staying at the Ritz.
We took a 1/2 day sightseeing tour with our group to a famous Buddhist Temple and the monks blessed all the babies, we lit 3 incense and for good luck and made a wish. I wished for a long life, long enough to see both my daughters married and with children of their own. Then I got misty eyed.
After the Temple we visited a Folk Arts Museum that used to be the ancestral home of the Chen family. The compound was wonderful, (think Raise the Red Lantern if you saw the film), but even more so. Inside was the most intricate ivory carvings, furnishings, paintings etc. Sienna was followed on the way to the bus by street vendors trying to sell her every gizmo under the sun. I told her to say Bu Ya (mean no, nothing), and she kept shouting it out and cracking everyone up, especially when the stunned street people realized she was speaking Chinese to them.
Our last stop was to the provincial Arts and Crafts shopping center, next to the Lamborghini and Rolls Royce dealerships. China is a country of contrasts and we passed numerous little crowded neighborhoods with streets as wide as sidewalks. It was a good thing we only had limited time there. I was shopping like crazy. I bought grade "A" qualityjade pendants for both girls with the design of their Chinese Horoscope animal. Brooke is a dog and Sienna is a sheep. On the back is the Chinese character for good luck. The Chinese believe that pure jade keeps evil away and the wearer in good health. Some Chinese are never separated from their jade. I also bought a small snuff bottle with the front of a dog on the front and the rear of the dog on the back. On the inside I had the artist paint Brooke's Chinese name in Chinese characters and on the back her birth date. We also bought silk scarfs, Chinese music and carved lacquerware jewelery.
When we got back to the hotel we had a short time to put the girls down and I ran three very quick errands. I bought traditional matching dresses for the girls and squeaky shoes for Brooke, I went to Lucy's for lunch to go, I went to 7-11 for water (yes it is across the street from the hotel), and I went to pick up our laundry (oh that's four).
After a quick lunch we all went down to the 3rd floor with our group to take the traditional Red Couch picture with the babies. Unfortunately 16 small babies and kids cannot cooperate. Brooke was in tears and just couldn't get it together but we did get a good group shot of all the travelers. We have about 50 people now in this group! Then we changed and went to eat at a famous Thai restaurant down the street called the Cow and Bridge. On the way back we stopped at a store next to the hotel and bought some assorted baby items, including an embroidered (by hand) copy of a picture that I took today of our two girls. I can't believe someone will take the rest of this week to do this for us by hand! What a gift that will be.
Mattel toys leaves each family a gift in the room for the adoptees. Today we received the welcome home Barbie doll that you can only get when you adopt in China and stay at the White Swan. It says on the box that it is not a toy and not for children under 14! Mattel also sponsors a play room in the hotel complete with toys and videos for preschool children and babies.
Well the hotel staff has turned down the beds and left chocolates on the night table, it will be hard to not having a staff waiting on us like this...reality beckons. Enjoy the photos!
We took a 1/2 day sightseeing tour with our group to a famous Buddhist Temple and the monks blessed all the babies, we lit 3 incense and for good luck and made a wish. I wished for a long life, long enough to see both my daughters married and with children of their own. Then I got misty eyed.
After the Temple we visited a Folk Arts Museum that used to be the ancestral home of the Chen family. The compound was wonderful, (think Raise the Red Lantern if you saw the film), but even more so. Inside was the most intricate ivory carvings, furnishings, paintings etc. Sienna was followed on the way to the bus by street vendors trying to sell her every gizmo under the sun. I told her to say Bu Ya (mean no, nothing), and she kept shouting it out and cracking everyone up, especially when the stunned street people realized she was speaking Chinese to them.
Our last stop was to the provincial Arts and Crafts shopping center, next to the Lamborghini and Rolls Royce dealerships. China is a country of contrasts and we passed numerous little crowded neighborhoods with streets as wide as sidewalks. It was a good thing we only had limited time there. I was shopping like crazy. I bought grade "A" qualityjade pendants for both girls with the design of their Chinese Horoscope animal. Brooke is a dog and Sienna is a sheep. On the back is the Chinese character for good luck. The Chinese believe that pure jade keeps evil away and the wearer in good health. Some Chinese are never separated from their jade. I also bought a small snuff bottle with the front of a dog on the front and the rear of the dog on the back. On the inside I had the artist paint Brooke's Chinese name in Chinese characters and on the back her birth date. We also bought silk scarfs, Chinese music and carved lacquerware jewelery.
When we got back to the hotel we had a short time to put the girls down and I ran three very quick errands. I bought traditional matching dresses for the girls and squeaky shoes for Brooke, I went to Lucy's for lunch to go, I went to 7-11 for water (yes it is across the street from the hotel), and I went to pick up our laundry (oh that's four).
After a quick lunch we all went down to the 3rd floor with our group to take the traditional Red Couch picture with the babies. Unfortunately 16 small babies and kids cannot cooperate. Brooke was in tears and just couldn't get it together but we did get a good group shot of all the travelers. We have about 50 people now in this group! Then we changed and went to eat at a famous Thai restaurant down the street called the Cow and Bridge. On the way back we stopped at a store next to the hotel and bought some assorted baby items, including an embroidered (by hand) copy of a picture that I took today of our two girls. I can't believe someone will take the rest of this week to do this for us by hand! What a gift that will be.
Mattel toys leaves each family a gift in the room for the adoptees. Today we received the welcome home Barbie doll that you can only get when you adopt in China and stay at the White Swan. It says on the box that it is not a toy and not for children under 14! Mattel also sponsors a play room in the hotel complete with toys and videos for preschool children and babies.
Well the hotel staff has turned down the beds and left chocolates on the night table, it will be hard to not having a staff waiting on us like this...reality beckons. Enjoy the photos!
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