Cannabis and Canals

Sunday, October 8, 2017

This morning we had another fabulous breakfast (those eggs! that bread!) in our hotel before walking back to the Maastricht train station for the last time and boarding our train to Amsterdam. We pulled into Centraal Station at about 11:30 and made our way to the Citadel Hotel, where we dropped our bags before setting off to explore the city. As usual, Tony did an amazing job of choosing a hotel - close to the station, Dam Square, and more.

We sort of stumbled into Dam Square, since Tony needed an ATM (through a series of missteps, we were literally down to our last 2 Euros), but what a great introduction to Amsterdam. This huge, fabulous square, full of people, full of crazy side shows, full of life! (full of pigeons!)

I have to admit, we were all running on empty at this point - so we spent a great deal of the day just wandering aimlessly. But first - LUNCH! We found a good Irish pub near one of the canals and Spring Flower and I ordered fish and chips on the recommendation of her Chemistry teacher (who claims that fish and chips in The Netherlands are the best). I'm not sure they were the BEST, but they were good and they came with a healthy pint of beer, so it totally worked for me. 

After lunch, we were able to check in to the Hotel Citadel and it was an adorable little property. We got everyone sorted and then headed back out to wander the streets, through the wafting plumes of marijuana and trying to steer clear of the red light district. Our next venture was a canal tour, which I really enjoyed. First of all, I got to SIT. Second of all, I got to sit on a BOAT. Third, I got to do numbers 1 and 2 in a city as cool as Amsterdam. Got to see lots of great historical sights, amazing architecture, and even the Purse and Bag Museum before disembarking. 

After some additional aimless wandering, we popped back to our hotel for a brief break and stumbled onto a useful piece of information. We all really wanted to visit the Anne Frank House, but it routinely sells out two months in advance. Our buddy Rick Steves shares in his book that same-day tickets start selling in the late afternoon, and that it can sometimes work to stand in line at about 7pm and try your luck. We had planned to at least try this tactic. But then I read another section where he mentions that it can sometimes work to visit the official website either the day before your visit or the morning of - as often people cannot use their prepurchased tickets. Tony tried and BOOM! Five tickets. Just like that. We were able to bypass the line of about 200 people at 8pm (I felt bad, but not THAT bad) and immediately enter. Of course, my euphoria was short lived due to the incredibly moving experience that is visiting the Anne Frank House. We spent an hour snaking our way through the tiny space and museum and I loved how every person was respectful about allowing each other the time to absorb the information and surroundings. It is nearly impossible to take in that you are standing in the tiny space that Anne and her family inhabited for two years. And that, as tiny and unbearable as it was, it was better than the alternative. Very, very sobering experience.

After our visit, we took a slow walk back to the hotel, mentally saying goodbye to Amsterdam and its beautifully lit canals on the way, because we had to leave the hotel at about 8:30 for our flight back home. 

Three Meals in Three Countries!

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Fortunately, we made the decision to "sleep in" until about 8am instead of the earlier start time I initially had in mind. Even though we all slept very well, 8am felt (as it should) like 2am to us. We were all very groggy, but once I got moving around, I felt okay.

Our Novotel Hotel had an awesome breakfast and I was honestly impressed with the food. I cannot get over how good the simple things tasted: the eggs, the BREAD! I'm not sure how they do it, but I already miss it. 

After breakfast we walked back to the train station where we met the Bigs and purchased train tickets for our foray to Liege, Belgium - a quick 45-minute train ride. After arriving in Liege, we popped on to a different train that took us closer to the downtown area - maybe possibly without an official ticket, but we're sincerely hoping our original tickets covered this extra bit of travel. 

Then we were in the streets of Belgium, in another adorable little European town. Coincidentally, Liege was celebrating "La Nocturne des Coteaux de la Citadelle," which would have both positive and negative consequences for us. The first was negative - we made our way to a famous set of stairs that, once climbed, afford a beautiful view of the town. However, because of the festivities, the stairs were "closed" - except to locals. Tony was convinced we could pretend to be locals ourselves, but I suspect we had zero chance of pulling that off - if not by looks alone, then the second one of us opened our mouths.

No stairs for us!

Without access to the upper parts of the town, we really just wandered around, enjoying the sights and smells of Liege. Many wonderful smelling bakeries and even more important, Gaufre du Liege - a fabulous fresh waffle shop. Waffles are a THING in this area of Europe, and for good reason.

After more wandering, and a stop for some hilarious pantomiming with a pharmacy employee regarding feminine hygiene products, we stopped for lunch and I had the best bowl of mushroom soup of my life. BG, B, and Tony all had mussels, which are apparently a regional specialty. 

As seems to often be the case in Europe, our server completely abandoned us at the end of our meal, which caused us to miss our intended train back to Maastricht. However, at this point a positive consequence of the festival came into play - we stumbled onto a fairly large carnival, complete with arcade games, entertainment, and rides including a huge ferris wheel. All of the Four Winds hopped on the ferris wheel and had a good look all around Liege before we made our way back to the train and Maastricht. We spent a significant part of the ride photographing macarons. Because...macarons.

Before the trip, I had been toying with the idea of "popping" into Germany, which I have never before visited (nor have the rest of us). Maastricht is SO close to both Belgium and Germany - why not make the most of it? If we can have lunch in Belgium, why not dinner in Germany? So after returning to our hotel, we took a short break and then regrouped for a one-hour bus ride to Aachen, Germany. Tony and I had scoped out a Brauhaus near the bus station that we thought might be a good spot for a legit German dinner. And we were right! This was probably my favorite meal of the entire trip. We encountered the following:

So, so good. And the atmosphere of the Brauhaus was exactly how I pictured Germany - except for the Asian family sitting at a table near the door (not us!). We felt like we had really accomplished something by having three meals in three countries in one day. Also - it was just a true joy for me to have all Four Winds in my direct line of sight for an hour or two. #itsamomthing

After dinner, we hopped back on the bus and made our way back to Maastricht, at which point, we had to say goodbye to Baby Girl and B. It was hard, but I absolutely took comfort in the fact that now I can picture her going about her day. The Bigs are thriving and happy and living an actual adventure. I'm so proud of them both - two of the smartest - and wisest people I know.

A Ray of Sunshine on a Cloudy Day

Friday, October 6, 2017

We managed to drag our weary selves off the plane at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam and stumble into the arrivals area and customs. We were hoping to be on the 8:30 train en route to Maastricht, but long lines were making us doubt that possibility. Once again, Tony shows what a master he is at kiosk transactions and he had our tickets in hand with about four whole minutes to spare. Not to mention this helpful sheet of directions:

Doesn't that seem simple? It actually was - all we had to remember was to change trains in Utrecht, and that was a matter of crossing over from "Spoor 19" to "Spoor 18." Piece of cake! The train gave us all a welcome opportunity to doze and we had the added benefit of having landed in the "Silent" train car. Perfect!

At just after 11am, our train rolled in to Maastricht and I honestly forgot about how tired I was and just got darned excited to see Baby Girl! 

Here she is, ready to corral all of us through the streets of her temporary hometown. We soon met up with B, who was sorting out bus day passes for all of us (after having accidentally purchased "day passes with bicycle" tickets. I'll say it again - Dutch is confusing! 

We took the soon-to-be-familiar Number 6 bus to BG and B's adorable studio apartment on Ambyerstraat-Nord and enjoyed a lovely smorgasbord lunch. We immediately realized that there are quite a few foods that are superior to American food, particularly the cheeses and meats. 

After our yummy repast, we set out for "Maastricht Underground" - in one of the highest spots in Holland, miles of tunnels make for a unique experience. A tour beneath Saint Peter’s Mount allows you to explore the caves that were excavated by men through the centuries. We spent about an hour underground and it was pretty cool. One of the most memorable parts was when our tour guide had us extinguish all lights, put a hand on the wall, and walk as a group for about two minutes in utter darkness. Creepy and cool at the same time. When we emerged, even the gloomy Dutch skies looked bright! 

Next BG and B took us on a meandering tour through their sweet little town and we saw adorable shops, quaint cobblestone streets, an ancient city wall, french fries swimming in sauce, BG's digs at the University of Maastricht Law School, and lots more. I was very concerned about the weather prior to the trip, and while pretty chilly at times, it was easy to duck under cover for the very brief periods of rain and then just continue on your way. Layering was key!

We wound up on the more suburban side of the river (where BG and B live) for dinner and found a great restaurant with very good food. Only one problem - this menu, which took a LOT of Googling to decipher:

After dinner, we said goodnight to the Bigs' and jumped back on our trusty #6 bus - hoping we could remember enough letters in the name of our stop to find our hotel. It was no problem, but I have to say that long walk in the cold mist, dragging suitcases, after a night of almost no sleep nearly did me in. It was ALL I could do to drop my bag in the hotel, wash up, and collapse into bed. Hilariously I pulled out my book, but never got past the very first sentence. 

Daar Gaan We!

October 5, 2017

Daar gaan we (off we go) on our whirlwind Dutch adventure! We don't have a lot of time but we fully intend to make the most of it. First and foremost, it's an opportunity to lay eyes on Baby Girl during her four months living in the Netherlands, but also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit a country that we probably wouldn't have otherwise. 

Our flight left at the somewhat "inconvenient" time of 5:20pm. Meaning that while we arrive in Amsterdam at 7am, it's actually 1am EST - so not a lot of sleep opportunity. Regardless, the five of us: Tony, Billy, Spring Flower, Flying Sparrow, and I were determined to make the best of it. Also helping was United's free service of beer and wine. Regardless, it's hard to convince yourself to try to sleep at about 7:30pm, especially when there are literally hundreds of entertainment options a foot from my face. Nevertheless, we did our best to get a few winks before our all-too-soon arrival in Amsterdam. The trip was thankfully uneventful except for a landing that was someone described as "angry." 

A Decent Bite of the Big Apple

We returned from NYC two days ago and I've been meaning to fire up the blog ever since. Truth be told, I had great plans to blog DURING the trip, but there really wasn't time - and that's a good thing!

On the drive up to New York, the first thing that struck me was the tunnel in Baltimore. 

 I had a flashback of all the times we drove through the Harbor Tunnel on our way to my grandmother's house - very excited to be leaving Frederick and going SOMEwhere, ANYwhere. I flew on a plane for the first time at 24 years old. Other than a few car and bus rides up and down the East Coast, I was almost completely inexperienced in terms of travel.

Contrast that with my dear children, who have had the good fortune to visit many, many places. I am often just as excited as they are when embarking on a trip, since I doubt I'll ever take these opportunities for granted. 

I did obsess a bit over planning the details of the trip, but I think it paid off. We managed to stay on budget and still see a LOT. Tony did his usual fabulous job of selecting just the right hotel. The location and decor of the adorable Kimberly Hotel were big pluses, but the over-the-top win for me was our personal balcony overlooking 50th Street - and even all the way to the East River. Here are the girls enjoying the view from just outside our living room (aka their bedroom). 

We arrived a bit later than planned so basically dumped our luggage, changed clothes and rushed off to begin our adventures. First stop - Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock. Here we had our first encounter with big crowds and not so polite New Yorkers, but it was worth it and having our first glimpses of the city be from 70 stories up was pretty novel. 

Next we wandered towards Times Square and our dinner destination, which as luck would have it was directly across from the Broadhurst Theater and a performance of Anastasia. It was fun to see the girls so excited about their first show in NY and this show did not disappoint. It was fabulous! Afterwards, we had the memorable opportunity to experience Times Square at night - what a hoot but SO MANY PEOPLE. It took us a while to work our way back to our hotel.

Day 2 had promised to be rainy all morning so we did not rush out the door. Then, nearly miraculously, just as we emerged from our hotel at about 8:45, the rain stopped and was soon followed by sunshine. An unexpectedly beautiful day. After another incredibly rude experience at breakfast (I knew to expect it, but it still just seems so unnecessary), we made our way to our day-long rental bikes. It was hilarious trying to figure out how to actually bike up Fifth Avenue towards Central Park without getting killed, particularly with two teenagers who have NOT spent a lot of time on bikes.

Once we got into the Park and got the hang of the bikes...blissful. A nice breeze was blowing and there was a great bike lane just for us to enjoy the greenery with the tall buildings of New York as a backdrop. Our first stop inside the Park was The Met, where we parked (and locked) our bikes and quickly made our way inside. Thereupon the girls realized this was THE Met and asked if we could take photos on the steps outside, a la "Gossip Girl." Sure. 

We enjoyed several areas of the Museum before hopping back on our bikes and going "around the horn" of the Park before heading south down the west side. Next we popped into the Museum of Natural History for a bit. Bummed that the butterfly pavilion was not open but we did get to see some well done exhibits before heading to our next stop. 

Here we left the relatively safe confines of the Park in order to bike to the Hudson River waterfront to take park in a Circle Line Cruise (touristy, yes - worth it, yes!). We dodged insane amounts of traffic and I have to be honest, it seemed that the vast majority of people we encountered - pedestrians and motorists alike - HATE bicycles. We were not wanted on the street or on the sidewalk. We did see bike lanes fairly often - but more often than not the cars used them to double park. It was just a bit stressful, but we made it! Fortunately the riverside had a great actual biking/walking lane and the last part of our ride was very enjoyable. 

We hopped onto our loud, tacky boat and savored every moment once we located the bar. One adult beverage perked up the adult members of our party. Once we set sail, things continued to improve - sunshine, river breezes, and some pretty spectacular views of the city, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, etc. It sure beat trying to see it all by bike! 

After our cruise we began the LAST leg of our bike journey - we were all grateful to return to the land of the pedestrians afterward - but those bikes really gave us an opportunity see and experience more. In the moment it was a bit nerve wracking, but looking back, we all agree it was a lot of fun and a unique way to experience our chunk of the city. After dinner in a fun Irish pub, we dragged our sweaty, exhausted selves back to the hotel and promptly collapsed.

On Sunday we lucked out with another gorgeous day. Before heading downtown, we walked less than a block in an attempt to experience "real" New York bagels at Ess-a-Bagel. Don't get me wrong, the bagels were damned delicious, but I think if we knew that we'd be in line for over an hour, we probably would have cobbled together some kind of Plan B. Did I mention that the bagels were delicious?

Next the girls took their very first NYC subway ride, from Grand Central all the way south to the Battery. We emerged to sunshine, breezes, and lovely water views. We spent some time wandering around the Battery before making our way to the 911 memorial and museum. There are no words to describe how moving an experience it was. Both the memorial and museum are SO WELL DONE. So many details just right. So evocative. It brought back so many memories for Tony and me, while enlightening the girls about what that day was like. While neither of them had been born yet - they were both being carried by their birth mothers on 9/11. 

After that sobering experience we took a leisurely stroll towards Chinatown, stopping to let the girls shop a bit on the way. We made it to Chinatown just in time for a late lunch at a "semi-famous" dumpling shop that will soon be moving from Chinatown to Chelsea. Really? The shop was crowded and we were seated with three white women who we think were a grandmother, mother, and daughter - ranging in age from maybe 70 down to 30. While we jumped right in to order a number of dumpling dishes and soups, they spent a great deal of time studying the menu and letting grandma try to practice with her chopsticks. By the time our dumplings started to arrive, they had made their choice - fried rice and FORKS. Noooo! While waiting for their food, they couldn't disguise their curiosity over our family (why is that white woman with those Asians?) and our enthusiasm over the food (while devouring it all using chopsticks - proficiently!) It was equal parts awkward and entertaining. It's how we roll.

After lunch we really enjoyed wandering through Chinatown and especially the park area, filled with Asian elders playing mah jongg, dancing, singing, and just getting OUT. The girls happily slurped down some legit bubble tea and Tony's day was made upon finding one of his favorite childhood snacks: Black Bean Hopia. ("Same wrapper!")

A bit tuckered out, we subwayed back to our hotel and took a bit of a siesta before heading back out. Actually while the girls "siestaed" Tony and I took the opportunity to visit the hotel's rooftop bar - a SUPER cool area on the 30th floor with a fully retractable roof, where we enjoyed sunshine and adult beverages before heading out on our next mission: to scale the Empire State Building in time for sunset.

After a quick dinner - and catching the tail end of the Pride Parade (yay!) we got to go to the front of the ESB line with our CityPasses (go us!). It was very crowded at the top, but doable. Claire set up a sunset over the Hudson timelapse on her phone and had to keep an eye on it for about an hour - but it was worthwhile! A great way to end our last full day in the city.

On Monday, while my family slumbered, I slipped out a bit early and made my way back to Rockefeller Plaza to try to set eyes on my "friends" from the Today Show. Yes, I'm a dork. I stood in a large crowd for just over an hour, but was rewarded just before the end of the show when Matt and Hoda gave me some great photo ops. : )

Afterwards the rest of the family joined me and we headed south to explore Grand Central Terminal and the market. Before that, we stumbled onto a food place I had wanted to try: Urbanspace Vanderbilt. What a COOL place to eat. So many unique choices and the girls were in heaven. Afterward, we did make it to Grand Central Market and had fun exploring before wandering back to our hotel and starting our drive home. 

As much as I enjoyed the trip, just the experience of driving cross-town was enough to make me want to go HOME! I can definitely see why cars in the city are a bad idea - feet and subways rock!

It's a Wrap!

Sunday, July 3
We have been home for just about 24 hours and this trip already seems like something we dreamed. Honestly, I had such low expectations - at least in terms of how much fun it would be. I was thinking more along the lines of forced march - but was pleasantly surprised at every turn. It was SO. MUCH. FUN. It was the trip of a lifetime. Yes, I missed home after two weeks, but we just felt that we were in the "China groove" and it was truly hard to leave. 

I had to ask myself - what are the "takeaways"? 

Here are a few things I will miss about China. 
1. The people. Sure - there are tons of people who stare at us but there were many more who embraced us - and more importantly, embraced our girls - in particular their hometowns and even more in particular - their orphanages. It makes my heart sing that both SF and FS received such warm welcomes at their orphanages and were allowed to hang out with the kids who are still there. 

2. The miracles. I think our biggest miracle was Sophie the Wonder Guide. I don't know how we got lucky enough to have her path cross ours at just the right moment, but we are forever grateful. Sophie not only helped us traverse the language and cultural barriers within China, but she wrapped her arms around our family and showed us the beautiful, warm, kind, loving side of China. We not only had adventures with her - we had FUN! Sophie made the people of China actual people. She did more than translate - she let us into their lives. Other miracles - that FS's orphanage will move at the end of this year. If we hadn't traveled this summer - we would have been too late. Another miracle - the people of Nanping, who wrapped their love around SF in such a tangible way.

3. The other travel families. We had to part with our other travel families several times during our trip, but we always had a reunion to look forward to. It can be tough being on your own as a family - but every time we returned to the fold, we were welcomed back and could always count on laughs and entertainment. I know that my girls benefited tremendously from knowing that other girls were walking in their shoes simultaneously.

4. I am so proud of my girls. Even though they had their moments of teen attitude, overall they were good global citizens. They were polite to everyone (except Tony and me), and absolutely shined during their orphanage visits. It's HARD to have a bright hot spotlight shined on you at 14 years old - especially as a returned orphan. Can you imagine? Yet both rose to the occasion and really enjoyed their opportunities to interact with staff members and special needs babies and toddlers. Maybe my proudest moment? When Sophie the Wonder Guide told the Maonan staff at lunch that they didn't need to order special food for my girls because "they're good - they try everything." (And left the forks untouched.) I'm also proud of them because even though they complained about typical teenage things, they knew when NOT to complain. And I'm also proud that they looked after one another, despite being in each other's laps the entire time. They giggled their way through at least 75% of our outings and only had one quasi-physical-hilarious encounter in the lobby of the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou when FS tried to kick SF - repeatedly. 

5. Just "China." While the people were amazing, the country is staggering - in its breadth, its history, and its beauty. We can't believe that we had previously traveled to China twice but stayed in only two cities! I feel that this is like saying I visited the U.S. but only visited Miami and Atlanta. NOT a bad representation - but not a thorough one. And while we are still only scratching the surface of China, we got to scratch a lot MORE of the surface!

6. I want to go back. In my head, I was thinking, "this is my last trip to China." But after this trip? I am ready, willing, and able to go back. I love China and I already miss it!

Okay, and just for snicks, what makes me happiest about being home?
1. Having access to more than 5 outfits. I walked into my closet last night and just stopped to stare at my SHOES. I have been wearing one pair of shoes and one pair of sandals for over two weeks. We won't even go into the clothes. Today I got to choose ANYTHING I WANTED! So appreciative!

2. Unfettered internet access. Rather than spending 20 minutes trying to get Wifi access AND VPN access to maneuver around Chinese firewalls (okay and then asking Tony to make the VPN work for me), all I had to do today was turn on my computer and type a url. It's ridiculous how easy this blog post is compared with how difficult it has been over the past few weeks.

3. Food other than Chinese food. I have always said that I could eat Chinese food every day. I was wrong. Two weeks is enough. I adore dumplings, buns, rice, and noodles, but I need a break! Today I planned the menu for the coming week and, just this once, there will NOT be an Asian night. 

4. Working my way back to a normal day/night schedule. As predicted, just as I was becoming accustomed to a 12-hour time flip - it was time to flip back. Somehow, though, this time feels "right." To me at least. I'm glad to be back on the same clock as 99% of my friends. 

Thanks for reading my ramblings over the past few weeks. Honestly, I am still processing this trip. What I anticipated to be a forced march ended up being a heartfelt stroll through one of my favorite places on earth. 

Thank you, China. 

A Couple of Maoming Miracles

Friday, July 1

Several things came as a shock to us this morning - first we can't seem to fathom that it's actually our last full day here in China and second - that it's July. We have no idea how either of those things happened.

We had a pretty good night last night and a decent sleep in - 6:45 for me. After two cold showers yesterday, I broke into the girls' room and positively luxuriated in a long hot shower. Breakfast buffets are getting incredibly old at this point. And because we were in Maoming instead of, say, Guangzhou, there were no handy labels to tell us what 90% of the unrecognizable food was. So we stuck with our standard fare - pork buns, noodles, eggs, sticky rice, etc. 

We met Sophie and Mr. Chen at 9:20 to make the short car ride to Maonan Social Welfare Institute. I knew, as soon as we pulled up, that it was indeed the same orphanage Flying Sparrow had occupied for two years. I had been convinced by the rumors that I had heard previously that the building had been torn down and the orphanage moved. I am so happy to be wrong. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to bring FS back and see her standing in front of the gate.

 

(FS in front of Maonan SWI with the Director who was there when FS lived there - and with the new Director who will take over when the orphanage moves at the end of the year.)

Apparently the Civil Affairs office just faxed over our visitation paperwork this morning, so they weren't 100% prepared, but we still had some nice surprises in store since Sophie had been using WeChat to let the Director know that we were coming. 

The second great piece of news was that not one (as I had hoped) but TWO of the caretakers remembered SF and gave her multiple big hugs. The caretakers are just sweet, sweet people. Like Nanping SWI, Maonan is now 100% special needs children. I was told today that there is now a waiting list for domestic adoptions of non-special needs children. I guess this explains why the international adoptions have slowed so drastically.

 

(FS with one of her original caretakers from way back in 2003-2005. She kept telling FS how pretty she is.)

We were able to ask some questions and view SF's official file as well as take some photos of the early photos they have of her. And, importantly, we are able to confirm that her name is "little flying bird" or "flying sparrow."

 

(Never before seen - by us - photo of Flying Sparrow. Instant treasure! She still makes that exact face to this day!)

Next we took a tour of the orphanage and were able to see the rooms that FS slept and played in - and take a few photos. Then we went to visit the other children at the orphanage - currently about 60. It always takes the girls a few minutes to warm up to babies and toddlers they don't know but then they make eye contact with one and end up scooping then up. 

 

FS was even talking about taking part in a orphanage volunteer trip when she's older - but changed her mind when she came to the realization that diaper changing would be on her task list. The babies were very sweet and I just have to shake my head at how much all four of mine have grown. And although these children are no longer with their families, I am glad they have the sweet amahs to give them love and attention. 

During our visit, the staff did their best to make FS feel very welcome and even presented her with a lovely gift - a carved chop with her Chinese name carved on it - made from some type of large local nut. They also gave her about 100 lychees, of which she has already eaten many.

After our visit, we went to lunch with staff members and had another outstanding meal at which I tried some local specialties such as "beach duck" (fairly convinced this was seagull), squid (really delicious), octopus, and braised spare ribs - among at least another dozen dishes. For a picky eater, I have upped my game. I was really proud of the girls when Sophie told the orphanage director that the girls "try everything." Apparently some American adoptees have come back and refused to try even one dish. I'm also happy to report that ALL FOUR of us were presented with forks, but that we all politely declined and did quite well with our chopsticks. 

After lunch, we said goodbye to the orphanage staff and proceeded to FS's finding place - which a few days ago - I didn't

realize had been recorded. Another minor miracle. We were able to find out a few more important details about how she came to the orphanage that are worth gold to us. 

 

(Flying Sparrow finds her finding place.)

We rolled out of Maoming at around 2 and began the long drive back to Guangzhou. Fortunately we had the indefatigable Mr. Chen at the wheel - as we encountered two fairly interesting weather systems and some pretty bad traffic during our five-hour drive. At about 7, we rolled into The Garden Hotel. It's SO weird to be in Guangzhou and not at the White Swan - but Sophie informed us that The Garden is now where most adopting American families stay as the Consulate is nearby. And boy was she right - during check in we saw at least a dozen newly adopting families. What great memories for us! The hotel and our rooms are gorgeous and we're enjoying one last very comfortable stay before we begin our trek home.

 

Here's the star of the day today, enjoying drinking water from a wine glass at dinner. Please note the similarity of this face to the photo of her as a toddler, above.

Last night in China - I can't believe it. We are all equal parts elation and depression. Hoping that tomorrow goes smoothly and we get home without major bumps or delays. 

Mr. Chen's Bamboo

Thursday, June 30

This morning we arose pretty early (5:30 for me and a bit later for the others) to finish packing up, shovel down some breakfast and be ready when our driver appeared at 7:30. It was hard to leave our beautiful mountain retreat - but we were recharged, feeling healthier, and ready for the final phase of our trip. 

The drive from Yangshuo Mountain Retreat to Yangshuo bullet train station took almost an hour, but it was one of the most beautiful car trips of my life. The mountains were gorgeous - and everywhere - and we passed miles of small towns, rice fields, farmers, water buffalo, and just...LIFE...in China. 

 

And then, suddenly, in the middle of seemingly nowhere we come upon the brand new train station, the outside of which isn't even finished yet. The driver vaguely pointed to the entrance and then we were on our own. To our advantage, the station was quite small - only four platforms - and we had no trouble figuring out where to go and when our train was boarding. We settled in for the comfortable two-hour ride to Guangzhou. 

Tony and I realized that this was our third time in Guangzhou - that seems crazy. But we didn't stay long. We were very happy to see Sophie waving the white Sun Travel flag as we exited the busy train station. She showed us the way to our car and driver (Mr. Chen) and we immediately set off for the 4-5 hour car ride to Maoming. 

Our two previous trips to Guangdong Province were in November and March and let me say that it's a whole different animal in late June. We've only been here a few hours but have already seen two storms, bright sunshine, and clouds. Sophie says she is taking us to visit a beach that's on the way to Maoming, since there isn't anything else scheduled for today. That sounds GREAT to me. We're only about 2.5 hours into the drive and my butt hurts!

Here's my view for a big part of the day - I love that Mr. Chen is growing bamboo in his car.

 

One of the best parts about having Sophie is a guide is her intuitive knowledge of how and when to improvise a plan. We knew we had a long slog drive ahead of us (though Mr. Chen was doing all of the heavy lifting in that respect) when she suddenly suggested that we stop at the beach on the way to Maoming. Wait - what? I sort of knew the geography of Guangdong Province but was not aware that there were tourist-type beaches there. Needless to say I am learning more than one new thing each day that I'm here. Apparently Sophie used to take trips with her family to this very beach and she seemed excited to show it to us. Plus, everything that Sophie does is magic to FS and SF, so they were all in.

We rolled in to Maoming Beach at about 4pm and while it was still very much China, it was also exuding shades of Florida USA. Palm trees, high-rise condos, beach umbrellas, the whole nine yards. It was AWESOME! I don't know who was more excited - me, the girls, or Sophie. While poor Tony (wearing laced shoes) stayed above the water line, all of the girls let the incredibly warm water wash over our feet and soaked up the sunshine.

 

(Photo credz to Sophie.)

We took a bit of a stroll down the beach and collected some really cool spiral shells that we don't often see at home. We also collected some sand for our sand collection. Then we wandered back to poor Tony who was still standing guard over our shoes and devices. 

Next we made a quick detour for some fresh coconut milk. The palm trees in Maoming are definitely coconut producers and there were stands set up where you pick your coconut, they hack out a piece of it, pop in a straw or two and - voila! Beach juice. The girls shared one and pronounced it wonderful. Thanks to Sophie, FS had a super positive first impression of her hometown.

After the coconuts, we had fully intended to go find Mr. Chen and head to Maoming proper, But then Sophie's tour deviation took a deviation of its own. Just off the beach were several brand-new seafood "establishments." And by establishments I mean the kinds of places where you pick your eel or your snails or your prawns out of tubs on the pavement. Sophie asked if we wanted to have a seafood dinner and we just knew it would be a great time - we were in! First she located Mr. Chen who helped her pick the dishes and select the seafood. Since he is considered a true local, this also ensured the best possible price. The next thing we know, dish after dish of freshly prepared seafood from the China Sea began to appear on our table. 

 

(L-r) Mr. Chen, Sophie, SF and FS - who despite all appearances, is NOT choking on a fish bone.)

The photo above was taken BEFORE several more dishes arrived, including steamed crabs. Amazing! I was really proud of the girls for trying everything on the table - including the snails and head-intact prawns. They are already pros when it comes to fresh fish and mussels. We learned at dinner that you should never turn a served fish because it's like "tipping a boat." You carefully pull the skin and bone off without turning it. Quite a trick.

We learned several interesting things about Mr. Chen at dinner. First - he speaks a little bit of English. Second - his son attends university in St. Louis where he is majoring in sports management. Third - he owns a business that includes several drivers. Fourth - his nephew is fatherless and he acts as a father figure for him. He is a really kind man who graciously served us tea and soup and whatever else we needed all throughout dinner.

Finally we all piled back into Mr. Chen's van and made the half-hour journey north to Maoming proper. This city is "smallish" - which is this case means about 3 million people. The downtown is vibrant and bustling. We are staying in a beautiful hotel called La Palazzo. After settling in, we agreed to walk to a nearby square with Sophie to see some of the locals dancing. However, a thunderstorm intervened. The weather here in Guangdong is incredibly mercurial. While we were waiting for the weather to clear, Sophie dropped two bombs on us about our orphanage visit tomorrow. First - despite what we have heard to the contrary, FS's orphanage was not torn down or moved. It stands in the same location where it was eleven years ago. There is a plan to move it, but not until the end of this year. Second - that the Director who was here in 2005 is still here. Though, again weirdly, we were told the Director is a man (and have a photo of him with FS) but it's in fact a woman. This goes to show, once again, that if you want information about your adopted children, you have to COME HERE. 

We meet Sophie tomorrow at 9:20 before heading to Maoming to see what else we can find out and then have lunch with representatives of the staff. It'll be a big day for Flying Sparrow - especially since we will get the FINAL word on the actual translation of her name, which we have heard several variations of over the years. 

Now We're Cooking...Literally

Wednesday, June 29

Today was the first day I felt like a human since Sunday afternoon and it was a huge relief. Yangshuo was just what the doctor ordered. After going from one bustling city and major tourist attraction to another, we suddenly had time to slow down the pace and just enjoy the beauty of China. I have definitely decided that the smaller cities are my favorites: Yangshuo and Nanping have so much personality and let you feel like you're actually a part of them.

This morning I slept until 6:45, which is, by far, a personal best on this trip. I really needed it as the nights have been hard for me lately. We took a leisurely stroll to the Retreat's restaurant - all of about 100 steps. The craziest part of this retreat in the boondocks of China is that it is mostly occupied by, and caters to, westerners. Listen up, people, you can get LEGIT French fries here! (And I did, twice!) For breakfast, however, I went with the "Apple pancake" since a person can do noodles just so many times and was pleasantly surprised with a decent crepe with apples atop it. 

We rolled out of the retreat SUPER late today - at 10am - to head down to Yangshuo proper for our cooking class. This was something I had looked forward to ever since my first glimpse the the itinerary. "Cloud 9 Cooking School" totally lived up to its name today. The remains of our travel group (down to 5 families) all took part in a class in which we learned how to make three Chinese dishes. Our instructor was self-taught, both in cooking and English, and did an impressive job of teaching children and adults at numerous levels. I do have to say that the room where we were cooking was a "bit" - okay, oppressively - hot while we did our prep work. Oh! Wait! Let's turn on 20 woks at once! Can you say 

"inferno"? We were all dripping sweat into our dishes, but nevertheless I throughly enjoyed myself and look forward to making all of the dishes when we get home.

 

Spring Flower looks so evil in this photo that I'm surprised anyone let her have a cleaver.

 The coolest part was that you eat what you cook. So after exiting the inferno, we all trooped downstairs to the (air conditioned!) restaurant and once again had ten times more food on the table than we could ever hope to eat.

 

My dumplings. For the win!

After lunch we had an hour to spend in Yangshuo's adorable market. LOVED this market. There was some of the super pushy sales tactics but not nearly as bad as other cities and there was a nice variety of things to choose from. The girls chose a few really cute items and then washed it down with a refreshing mango smoothie. Except it was 100 degrees with 100 percent humidity. So a smoothie ain't touching that.

 

After the market we had to say goodbye to two of the travel families who were headed off to orphanage visits. It's remarkable how hard it is to part with people you just met 10 days ago but trips such as these tend to forge some pretty strong connections. The Mountain Retreat was a lot quieter this afternoon. 

HOWEVER, we made the best of an "afternoon off." Tony and I took a walk with sweat pouring down our faces and then rewarded ourselves with two pint sized Tsingtaos riverside.

 

It was a perfect afternoon, watching life in China float by and enjoying life. At one point, we were even graced with the presence of Flying Sparrow. I wish I could say she was seeking our company, but the truth is, she was Jonesing for another Retreat milkshake.

 

FS, post-milkshake and feeling refreshed. 

Next on the agenda was dinner with the last two remaining families. We shared a big outdoor table alongside the river and had a great evening. Good food, great people, lots of laughs and sharing. We did have to move the party indoors when some pesky thunder and lighting arrived, but that just gave us an excuse to order dessert. Other than the repeated appearance of a bizarre man who was wandering the the hotel in a bathrobe, it was a perfect evening!

Tomorrow morning we are on the move again. A new driver is rumored to be appearing here at 7:30 tomorrow morning to drive us to the Yangshuo train station, where we will catch the new bullet train to Guangzhou. We received a huge surprised today when we were told that none other than SOPHIE will be meeting us there! We are hoping that she'll be taking us on Flying Sparrow's orphanage visit, but don't wan to get our hopes up too high. In any case, SOMEONE will be taking us from the train station in Guangzhou on a five-hour car trip to Maoming tomorrow afternoon. Jealous much?

See you in Maoming! Our next-to-last stay!

Yangshuo Retreat

Tuesday, June 28, I think.

Okay now the days and locations are REALLY starting to get mixed up in my head. At least we are not alone. We constantly chat with our travel group members and comment on something in particular we saw or tasted and it always takes us a few minutes to piece together when/where we were. And while we're here for just over two weeks, some families have been here even longer - one since June 9th. Their trip will be a full month.

I was doing REALLY well with going with the flow and being up for every new food and experience and not missing home too much - until - our last night in Xi'an (Sunday) when I made the fateful decision to eat a piece of Chicken Satay IN THE HOTEL and have paid a big price for the past few days. As soon as I ate it I knew it wasn't going to end well, but it's so ironic that we have steered the girls clear of street skewers and then I get taken out by a Sheraton skewer. Forty eight hours later I am maybe just starting to feel a bit better but I haven't slept or eaten much at all ever since. Not easy when we have moved cities twice since then and been on a plane, a boat, a bus, and been force marched in crazy heat and humidity several times 

So let's back up a bit. We had a nice dinner upon arrival in Guilin yesterday after which most of the group headed out to explore the city a bit by bus. I hated to do it, but I had to opt out. It sounds like I missed out because they were able to visit some gorgeous temples and see fishermen using cormorant birds.

 

 

This morning we piled out of the Bravo Hotel at 8am in order to make it to our boat for the Li River Cruise. The Cruise was spectacular from beginning to end and, best of us, gave me an opportunity to SIT and nibble on bread. We cruised from Guilin south to Yangshuo, which takes about 3.5 to 4 hours. You never get tired of the classic Chinese countryside scenery.

 

 

After disembarking, we had to hoof it from the dock uphill into the town of Yangshuo, navigating through dozens of shops (which I am happy to report we will have time to visit tomorrow) in order to meet back up with our bus. It was insanely humid but I made it. Normally the heat doesn't bother me but being low on fluids and food is taking its toll. 

And while I was hoping our next stop was the hotel, we had one one additional stop to make - though in hindsight it was well worth it. An elderly farmer named Mr. Pan, along with his wife and sister in law live in a 300 year old farmhouse and allow a few groups to stop by for an inside look at life as they know it. An adorable couple - so sweet and welcoming. They let the girls try to churn some soy milk, and pointed out bits of their way of life. Mr. Pan's sister in law, whose husband passed a few years ago, even showed us the coffin she will be buried in, which is displayed in the house. In the photo below, Mr. Pan demonstrates how his bird can understanding counting in several languages and even demonstrated in Spanish - or maybe something that would be better termed "Spanese."

 

FINALLY we made it to our home for two nights, the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat. It is pretty incredible. Kind of rustic, but with incredible scenery wherever you look. We plan to have dinner shortly and then Tony and the girls will head out to a local show with the group while I continue to try to get better. 

 

Yangshuo Moubtain Retreat, which looks out over a gorgeous river. I need to find out which one!

Only THREE FULL DAYS left in China. Part of me is really bummed but another part misses my bed, my cats, and the option to not have to force march in 99 degree humidity!

Getaway to Guilin

Monday, June 27

As much as we enjoyed Xi'an we were ready to move on to our next stop: Guilin. Not only because of the promise of beautiful landscapes but also to join back up with our travel group. While it's nice at times to be on what is effectively a private tour, we miss the opportunity to get to know the other families in our group better. They are all super nice people. 

We headed out from our hotel at 8am for the one-hour drive to Xi'an Airport, where everything went smoothly for our flight. We arrived in just over 2 hours - at about 1pm. Coincidentally, the rest of our group arrived from Chengdu arrived just a few minutes before us and we bumped into them in baggage claim.

We were by our guide in Guilin, Cherry Yan. She is very sweet and seems knowledgeable about the area. A forty minute bus ride later (we are now back on a BIG bus) we arrived at the Bravo Hotel - which is nicer than it sounds. The further you get from major cities, the more idiosyncrasies you run into, but nothing major.

The landscape in Guilin is absolutely breathtaking. The mountains here are what you probably envision when you think of a classic Chinese landscape. Here's a not very professional shot out of the bus window. 

 

A very pleasant surprise at the hotel was the combination of a beautiful outdoor pool, coupled with a few hours of free time. Most of the families convened at the pool - for the girls to swim and for the adults to toss back a beer or margarita. This, for most of us, was the first time this trip felt like a true vacation. Don't get me wrong - it's the trip of a lifetime, but there is little to no relaxation - or sunshine. So here was my enormously appreciated vista this afternoon:

 

We just finished a delicious and really fun dinner with all the families, most of whom will be going on an excursion tonight involving a boat and fishing - I'm not 100% clear on the details. Tony and the girls will be joining in but I'm going to make it an early night. I finally bumped into something last night that did not agree with me and that, plus a rough round of serious snoring by my husband led to not much sleep at all. Plus, we have to be up and moving early - checked out and on the bus by 8am for our Li River Cruise. I'm hoping the weather holds as I've really been looking forward to this. 

Time for some Zzzzssss,,,,