The Market Place

One note before I get started: we cannot actually go to the blog, so we cannot read any of the comments there. The first day we were in Hong Kong, we were able to access everything, but after that the page will not come up. We do not know if the problem was in China or in the computer. So, if you want to comment, please email us directly so we can see them.

Such the adventures today! As I said last night, Justin fell asleep at the restaurant at 6:30. We carried him back to the hotel and tucked him in. He slept until 8:30! Breakfast was western food in the hotel restaurant. We get two free meals per room and only have to pay for the kids. Not a bad deal. Greg is of the opinion that as long as he can get a solid western breakfast and get filled up, he will be fine for the day.

The kids and I also had our first experience with eastern toilets. Justin was especially fascinated. They are basically a thin toilet bowl imbedded into the floor with foot rests on either side. You squat to use the facilities. All were successful, you will be pleased to know.

The kids went swimming in the rooftop pool. They found the water to be a bit cold and spent their time floating Kailey’s shoes on a string. The pool will only be open for a couple more days since winter is coming. Hard to picture it with temps in the 80’s.

We met our travel coordinator, Qin Lei (Chin Lay) in the lobby along with another couple, Beth and Brian, who traveled as planned as well. They are adopting a little boy from this province, but another orphanage. It turns out that there are 2 more couples coming to this hotel to adopt from that other orphanage next week.

We went to lunch at a Chinese fast food restaurant. They serve noodle bowls and rice bowls. Very good and rather nutritious (especially compared to fast food in the US.) All 6 of us ate lunch for RMB54. Divide by 8 for American. We will be eating there a lot.

We went across the canal to the market. Oh, my. We first entered the Qing Ping Market. There were cats, bunnies, chickens, ducks, eels, snakes, scorpions, frogs, shrimp, fish, and turtles, all alive, all waiting to be someone’s dinner. Kailey was not happy to learn that that kitty was meant for the table, not as a pet. There were no dogs, though. We watched a shopkeeper package up eels for sale, sorting them into a large plastic bag, then adding a large chunk of ice, and filling the bag with air. The kids were spellbound to watch the eels be tossed through the air, alive, and squirm around in the plastic bag.

As we continued to wander through the markets, we noticed that the shops ran in themes. Most of the spice and dried medicine stalls were grouped together. There was a street of shoe stores, a street of electronics, a street of live animals, and a street of pets and pet goods (hard to tell from dinner, they were just cleaner!). We did not buy anything today (except a pair of pj’s for Kailey, she was jealous of mine so Greg and Dad took her out special tonight to buy her a pair of silk jammies—only $6.50 US!)

The kids and I were out for a little walk and passed a park behind our hotel. There were Chinese soldiers there doing hand to hand combat exercises and practicing throwing for hand grenades. That was a little alarming. This was contrasted with the bride and groom there having wedding photos taken in the park as well. Such diversity.

Dinner tonight was at a western restaurant. Dad, however, had some sort of Asian soup. Kailey was a little alarmed at the face that was still attached to Dad’s shrimp. She, like me, apparently prefers not to have dinner looking back at her.

We came back to the hotel, put Justin to bed, sent Kailey shopping for jammies with the guys, Mom settled down with a book, and I went to get a massage. The hotel advertises that at the massage parlor in the same building, you can get a massage for RMB198. When I got there, as I went downstairs, I started wondering if it wasn’t a truly full service Chinese massage parlor. There were men lined up at the back and all the women wore these cute little dresses. Hmmmm. At any rate, the massage was great and has really worked to rid me of some of the major knots from the trip.

Well, it is off to bed. Tomorrow is an equally full day. Oh, we did find out that our request to visit the orphanage before we receive Elijah ZuBin was denied. Qin Lei will ask again if we can visit after we receive him next week. She says they will frequently say yes after custody has been transferred. We will also be making arrangements to go visit his finding place. More tomorrow! Hopefully then we will find out our appointment dates and can then make arrangements to come home.

Good night.