No, we're not moving to China. Really.
Me at the Little Rock Airport, ready to go.
Me at the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport enjoying my $5 pizza.
On our way to Tokyo...it's either Russia or Alaska....
Mom passed out on the 747 to Tokyo.
A girl and her jie jie (we think) in the Forbidden City.
Our guide, Michelle, by one of the the posts used to lock the doors to the Forbidden City back when it was in use.
The Moates outside the gate to the Forbidden City, the TianAnMen Gate.
A family by the Forbidden City.
A little girl walking down the road in Beijing.
2 little kids (a boy and a girl) playing on the sidewalk in Beijing.
The garden for the concubines...absolutely beautiful.
Fu-Dog statue in the Forbidden City
The Forbidden City
The "fish" (looks like something the cat drug in to me...) that they served us at the restaurant in Beijing...Mom had to cover it's eye with a napkin because I was about to gag.
A girl painting pottery at the cloisonne factory.
A statue of MuLan that was on the way to the Great Wall, in Beijing.
Me and Mom on the tour bus in Beijing. This is actually a "Myspace" style picture....a.k.a. I took it myself.
This is where you get your car fixed in Beijing.
Me outside the Subway at the shopping store-thing in Beijing. It was a short walk from the Poly Plaza.
The side of the Great Wall (the east side) we climbed. We only went up to that tower, no further.
Me on top of the First Tower. Our guide, Michelle, loved my Coca-Cola shirt.
The view from the top of the First Tower. That's a dam down there.
The "more difficult" side of the Great Wall (the west side at Juyongguan)
The view from our window at the Shanxi Grand. For anyone who thinks Beijing is China, take a look: this is probably closer to the world of the average Chinese.
The adorable little crib that was in our room when we got here. The room service lady brought a cute pillow and blanket for Reese and had the biggest grin, like 'you're getting a baby!'
Our hotel room: small and messy. It looks better now. :) And it has a computer, but my laptop is working now...
A street near our hotel in Shanxi
A place I took a picture of on the way to the hotel from the TaiYuan AirportAnyway, while we were in Beijing, I happened to notice there were very few little girls. And I began to wonder: did those families just get "lucky" the first time? Or is there a grimmer side to their show of happiness? Is there a little girl out there who will not know her biological parents or little brother? Did that family really want a little boy that badly? I'll never know...but it makes you think.
And in Taiyuan, as we were driving to the hotel, I sat there and stared out the window. Anyone of the people I saw or that I've passed by in the street while walking could be Reese's brother, sister, mother, father, aunt, uncle, cousin, grandparent...and I want to look into their face and see if there is any resemblance at all. And I wonder the same things I wondered in Beijing as I walk around, but I do see so many more girls here than I did in Beijing. So I wonder if maybe the one child policy isn't as strong here, because most everyone here is Han. Who knows?
I bought a pair of sunglasses at the market here for 30 yuan (almost $4), we got lunch for 32 yuan, I think it was (about $5), and we bought 4 bottles (about a 20 oz.) of coke, 4 bottles of water, and 2 packages of baby cookies for 29.8 yuan or so (less than $4). I'm gonna cry when I go back to America and a bottle of coke costs me $1.09 or more, because here it's like 2.60 yuan (about $.50 give or take...I think).
We get Reese tomorrow and thank God I can now post pictures. YAY!
And in Taiyuan, as we were driving to the hotel, I sat there and stared out the window. Anyone of the people I saw or that I've passed by in the street while walking could be Reese's brother, sister, mother, father, aunt, uncle, cousin, grandparent...and I want to look into their face and see if there is any resemblance at all. And I wonder the same things I wondered in Beijing as I walk around, but I do see so many more girls here than I did in Beijing. So I wonder if maybe the one child policy isn't as strong here, because most everyone here is Han. Who knows?
I bought a pair of sunglasses at the market here for 30 yuan (almost $4), we got lunch for 32 yuan, I think it was (about $5), and we bought 4 bottles (about a 20 oz.) of coke, 4 bottles of water, and 2 packages of baby cookies for 29.8 yuan or so (less than $4). I'm gonna cry when I go back to America and a bottle of coke costs me $1.09 or more, because here it's like 2.60 yuan (about $.50 give or take...I think).
We get Reese tomorrow and thank God I can now post pictures. YAY!
3 comments:
Thanks for the photos. Tomarrow is the big day. By the looks of your bags you plan on being there until 2008. Glen
I've been checking your website since you left to see if you had arrived safely. Glad you finally were able to start posting. It looks like you are having so much fun. Definitely a trip you will never ever forget. Can't wait to continue watching your journey.
Love the photos. It sounds like you are having a great time. But, you KNOW we are all anxiously awaiting the "We have Reese" post with pictures of all of you together! Hmm, it is already Monday morning in China even though it's only Sunday evening here... so soon! I'm sure you are EXCITED
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