Farewell, Victory*Hotel

And on the last day, they served kai shui in a mug.

Things Are Going Swimmingly, Part II

Hotel Restaurant, August 2009

Hotel elevator, May 2012

Just couldn't finish the trip without the goggle shot.  Even though Maryn wanted nothing to do with the hotel pool even during the hottest days *Guangzhou* had to offer in 2009, she did wear her goggles frequently.  Tenley, however, has been using them for their intended purpose and giving them a good workout, be they upside down or right side up.  These girls are fish!  Everyday Tenley asks if we are going swimming.  It's adorable to hear her ask, "Meiguo youyong?" (May-gwaw yo-yong = do you swim in America?)  On more than one occasion, I have confirmed that we swim there.  Yesterday I sat at the outdoor pool on the ninth floor watching them in the pool for about three hours.  Tenley wears floaties and an inner tube made for about an 18 month old child that I got at the dollar store.  It just fits.  The whole time I hear, "Mommy," just like any kid would say when they want their parent to watch.  She puts her face in the water without hesitation and moves her arms like she sees Maryn do.  Then she comes up with a big smile on her face and repeats the same steps over and over.  She wants to know how to swim and is excited to be signed up for swimming lessons.

Maryn and Tenley have their best bonding time in the pool.  Tenley is helpless and Maryn is there to help.  Tom was throwing a ball to Tenley and making it land just out of her reach so she could "swim" to it, but if she couldn't get it, Maryn would swim over and get it for her, and each time Tenley would gratefully say "sonk you."  At this stage of the game, Maryn is really the big sister, and although she's younger and still working on her own language and social development, her life experience since coming home is making her seem way, way more mature.  She still has her moments, though, that really make me smile.  The other day I was telling Tenley something was hers so I said to her, "Ni de (knee-duh = yours), ni de."  Maryn turns to me and says, "Wait, is her name Nida now?"  Everytime I think of it, like right now, it cracks me up.  She is such a dear, and she's been working real hard on this trip.  Sonk you, Babygirl.

Taking Care of Business

On Monday morning our guide came by to round us up and get us and two other families back to the medical clinic for a reading of the TB test.  The clinic used to be right here on Shamian*Island, but it was moved sometime between the last time we were here and now.

Now it's located in an office building in the business/financial section of *Guangzhou*.  When the elevator door opens, there's that usual din that accompanies any of the official business we do here, with a lot of crying babies sprinkled on top.  The guides do a great job of getting you through the small space packed with humanity and before long your back on the bus again.

On the way back to our current hotel, we went past the hotel we stayed in last time.  Wait, let me grab a tissue and wipe a tear, not for the nostalgia but for the really sweet accomodations then: beautiful room, spacious restaurant with view, large pool with comfy lounge chairs and umbrellas, and a gym.  Every night Tom and I would lay in the dark waiting for Maryn to fall asleep, and then I would sneak out and go down to this *$$ to do my blog posting.  The internet connection was slow, but I enjoyed the international atmosphere of this spot, and the smell of coffee while I typed.

This morning we had our consulate appointment.  That's the whole purpose of coming through this city, so it's a big deal when it's done.  Those of us carrying blue passports with a big, gold eagle on the front get to go right past all the people waiting in line outside and inside the building for visa processing as we ascend to the fifth floor.  There a nice woman speaks into a tiny microphone from behind the glass, gives you a few instructions, including DO NOT OPEN THE BROWN ENVELOPE, then makes you stand and swear or affirm that everything you have declared thus far, and it's a lot!!!, is true to the best of your knowledge.  We opted for swearing, but it turns out we didn't have to because we were done in no time.  It's a strange sensation when you reach this milestone.  You're in a very nondescript, grayly colored and lit room, stripped of your camera, with a few children playing in the dirty, plastic playhouse behind you, yet you can't help but wipe a tear or two.  It's the point at which you feel like you gave birth to a mountain of paperwork, and a lot, but not all the necessary paperwork, is behind you.  Going forward from this point means you're no longer trying to get to this point, and it's a tremendous relief.  The other part of it, as I mentioned above, is that you continuously move past line after line of people who want something that you already possess, the ability to enter the country you just so happened, and I'll add by the grace of God, to have been born in.  It's an incredible feeling, and one we won't soon forget.

We were up early this morning to get to our appointment at 8:30.  There we were in the restaurant at 7 a.m., and I was throwing down my jelly bread with cream cheese, one hard boiled egg, one yougurt (and as I typed that I just realized why Louise always calls it you-gurt) and the ubiquitous kai shui (ky shuway = boiled water, and for some strange reason it's always served in a regular drinking glass not in a mug with a handle so it won't actually remove the flesh from your fingers) when I had to take someone to the restroom, once again.  I stood up from the table, looked at Tom and said, "Next time we'll be bringing home a boy!"  As I walked away from the table I heard, "I want you to look deep into my eyes.....!"

National Treasures

Being in China the parents of these beautiful girls right there in front of us - priceless.

National Treasure

Being in China looking at giant pandas right there in front of us - priceless.

Scenes from the Animal World

People bought branches of leaves to feed the giraffes.  They took the branches right out of their hands with their really long tongues, chewed on the leaves and spit the branches out.

Amazing color on these birds from India.


Cheesecake from down undah.

Going Wild

 Yesterday we spent the day at the safari park right outside of *Guangzhou*.  Our guide made the arrangements for us and a single mom who is here with her adorable two year old.  Coral and her friend Qi Jie were in, too, and that made it even more fun for us.  Maryn buddied up with Coral in an instant and Tenley walked with us or Qi Jie or helped with the two year old.  There were plenty of eyes to watch everyone in our group and that gave Tom and I the chance to hold hands every now and then.  A date at a safari park in *China* - go figure.  It was a really enjoyable outing, and I recommend it to all the families who will follow after us.  We started off on the tram tour which took us past open habitats for different animals by world regions.  The park trams share the road with cars driven by regular folks.  Fortunately, it was a little more orderly than it is on the regular roads here, and I only saw one emu-ish looking bird actually bumped by a car.  I'm sure it happens all the time, because the bird walked off like it was just another day in the park.  We saw the usual cast of characters seen at a safari park, I suspect, and some were exotic.  A lot of the animals had room to roam which made it seem less like a zoo.  We closed the afternoon with an elephant show at 2:30.  That kind of thing usually makes me sad.  I'm sure those elephants, if left in their own environment, would not have been playing soccer or basketball like we saw them doing yesterday, but as crazy as it sounds, I found myself wondering if that was enjoyable for them.  If only big game hunters would put their weapons down and start taking toys on safari with them, the world would be a better place.

The show went on through the afternoon rain shower, but we were dry under the roof of the amphitheater.  Afterward, the eight of us waited out the rain under an overhang before heading to our bus.  Our outing came to a close, and we dropped Coral and Qi Jie at a subway station just around the corner from the park so they could get to the airport.  I shed a few tears as I hugged them goodbye, blew them a kiss and the bus headed back to the hotel.  We had dinner at Lucy's, a well known restaurant here on Shamian*Island, and ended the night with four hands of *Uno*.  It's a great way to bring four people together with hand signals or limited language skills.  We played again tonight with four willing participants who graciously high five the winner of each round.  There was plenty of laughter tonight as tired kids were getting silly and tired parents were getting slap happy.  When the laughter reached it's crescendo, Maryn said, "I love this family."  We must be making progress.