Cole, Alex, & Anna Grace

Friday, May 21, 2010

Guangzhou Day 3

We took a tour of the city yesterday that included a Buddhist temple, an art museum, and a little shopping. The Buddhist temple was extremely busy and crowded. Our guide said that it was not normally so busy, but people were coming to celebrate a Buddha's birthday. People were bringing gifts of money, apples and drinks. There was one area that had a bunch of live animals for the Buddha- including fish, eels, turtles, snakes, and even baby chickens. We were told that these animals would be blessed and then released into the Pearl River and surrounding areas. While we were there one of the eels decided that it was ready to be released, and it flung itself out of the bucket and started slithering all over the ground! And of course, everyone there was staring, pointing, and trying to crowd around all of Americans with Chinese babies! The temple was quite an experience!!

The store that our guide took us to had a lot of beautiful artwork, jade, porcelain, and silk. We did not buy much since the prices seemed really high, but we did buy some paintings for our bathroom. There was a man doing what he called "finger painting" with black ink on white paper. He was creating very intricate, detailed pictures with his fingers, knuckles, and palms of his hands. We bought 3 of his paintings for about $45.

Anna Grace continues to bond more and more with Mike and me. One of the shop keepers tried to hold her yesterday, and Anna Grace looked at her and said, "Boo Ya" (sp??) with a very serious look on her face and her eyebrows furrowed together. That means "don't want to." The shop keeper said, "Did you know she speaks Chinese?" I thought that was so funny because of course she speaks Chinese! Anna Grace had a full conversation with the lady, and I have no idea what she said. The shop keeper said that Anna Grace is very smart, but maybe she was just trying to get us to buy more from her. At any rate, I was very pleased that Anna Grace did not want to be held by this stranger, and she wanted to stay in my arms. While we were there, Anna Grace picked out yet another pair of shoes. She now has 5 pairs of new shoes! Most of them are squeeky shoes, so wherever she walks she goes "squeek, squeek, squeek!"

Today I have to complete a bunch of paperwork in our guide's room, and then tonight we are supposed to eat at traditional Chinese restaurant with our group. It is supposed to rain- again. The climate here is very tropical and this is the rainy season. Our hotel room is on the 17th floor (out of 49 floors!) and all we can see is fog this morning. Hopefully it will dry out enough for us to talk another walk in the park this afternoon.

1 comment:

  1. Such a beautiful place, even with all the construction you can still see it's beauty. I hope it clears up and you can get out. What a blessing it is that Anna Grace knows who her family is and doesn't want to go to anyone else. God is so good and I truly believe he speaks to the hearts of these children. I am so very excited that your journey is nearing it's end and you are going to bring her back home, just in time for some gorgeous spring weather! Have you checked out the White Swan Play room? My kids and I were looking at pictures last night and Eli says: I want to go back to the hotel with the waterfall and fish! Praying for continued bonding with Anna Grace and for a joyous, exciting reunion when you come home.
    Blessings!
    Robyn

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