In Chongqing

Hi Everyone,

Car and I are in Chongqing City, but not without having some adventures. First, we (well, Car!!) had to repack our bags at the airport because of weight restrictions. Then, after saying a temporary good-bye to Dawn and Kevin, our traveling buddies, we worked our way to the gate. We weren'tbeing called up to board, so Car had the good idea of asking the agent what was going on. Turns out they had moved our gate, and because we don't speak Chinese, we missed it!! So we basically had to run to our other gate, which of course was way on the other side. But we made it.

We landed in Chongqing and were met by Michael, who drove us to the hotel. It's not as cold here as it was in Beijing, but it's foggy and rainy. We can't figure out whether it's fog or it's air pollution - that remains to be seen. Chongqing is HUGE!! It has over 30 million people, is the entry to the Yantzee River. We got all settled into our room, unpacked, and rearranged the furniture to accommodate a crib, which the hotel brought up for us.

Car and I then went out to dinner to try one of Chongqing's delicacies, which are these hot pots. It's almost like a fondue, but with chicken broth and spicy broth together in a pot. Then you boil a variety of things in it, like fish, noodles, chicken, sausages, etc. It was an... uhm... interesting taste. I'm glad we tried it. :)

We then went back to our room, and had birthday cake, ordered by Michael, our guide. Very sweet of him!!

Car and I are both still jetlagged, and have been waking up at 4:30, so going to bed around 8:00 does not sound bad to us at all. Besides, tomorrow is promising to be a big day!!

We'll meet Michael at 9:30, where I have to sign a bunch of paperwork. Then he'll pick us up at 1:30, and we're off to the Civial Affairs Office, about 10 minutes away from our hotel.

Big day tomorrow!

Beijing, Day 2

Today was another great day. Our guide Charlotte is really taking great care of us. We left this morning and drove to the Jade Factory, where we got our own private tour of the place, along with our own private sales women!! Boy, these people are good. Of course Carolyn and I had to buy something.

After that, we continued on to the Great Wall. WOW, what a place!! Super crowded, because it's the last day of the Chinese New Year, so the first section of the Wall was hard to climb. It's actually quite steep, and you get a nice little workout going up. All the steps are uneven, so you also have to be careful not to trip. Car and I continued on and on - she was quite the trooper - and we made it to the top of this particular section. Of course, the further we climbed, the fewer people there were.

When you're up on the Wall, you truly get a sense of awe! How did these people build such a majestic structure so long ago? And it goes on and on and on. You can see in these pictures that the air quality is quite bad. The haze is quite evident, and a lot of people choose to wear masks over their faces.

Funny translation!! Speaking of translating, it's very cute how parents encourage their younger children to practice their English with us. Today, I spoke to at least three young girls, all of whom asked me what my favorite food is - almost like they're reading it from a text book. Very fun!

After the Wall, we drove by the Olympic Village. That Bird's Nest and the Water Cube is something else!! All of that area used to be farm land, and has been sitting empty since the Special Olympics were completed in September. It's now one of Beijing's major toursit attractions.

Then we got to participate in a tea ceremony. Did you know that China has over 300 types of teas? And in China, tea is bought raw, only in a tea house. All the bad tea ends up in tea bags. Hmmm - I think I've done it wrong all these years.

Our next stop was Tian'anmen Square, a place that can pack 1 million people. It's not only considered the center of Beijing, but also the center of China. It leads up to the Forbidden Palace, and also contains Chairman Mao's Mausoleum. We didn't get to see Chairman Mao, but it's constructed much like Ho Chi Min's Mausoleum in Hanoi, Vietnam. Apparently, the now pickled body of Mao is lowered into a freezer every night.

After that we went to the Silk Market, where Carolyn gave the vendors a run for their money as she bargained alongside the best of them!! They didn't know what hit them! :) And to end this long day, we went to a Chinese Acrobat show.

Now we are packed once more, and leavng tomorrow morning for Chongqing. It's a short flight - about 1 1/2 hours. We'll be met by another guide, Michael, who will not neccessarily be a travel guide, but rather will focus on helping the adoption process along. Now we'll get to the REAL reason we're here!!

I love the fact that you all are reading the blog! It's fun to stay connected with you this way!! Stay tuned for more news from China, and let me know what you think.

Hugs to all.

Beijing Day 1

Hello Everyone,

Our first day in Beijing was great fun. We were up early, took a walk on empty streets, then met our guide at 9:00. We drove to the east entrance of the Forbidden City,and toured the compound. THis place is HUGE!! Outer courts, inner courts, over 9000 rooms, secret passages, lots of traditions, and so much more! It was also very crowded since Chinese New Year is still in full swing, but people kind of just rolled with it. I have to laugh, because obviously both Car and I are two tall caucasian women walking amongst everyone. I can't tell you how many times Car has been asked to be part of a picture, or how people stare when we walk in. It's like in the movie "My Cousin Vinny" - oh yeah, we blend!! :)

It is so incredible to think that we are finally here! It catches me off guard a lot. We might be listenting to our guide, and all of a sudden I am jolted back to the reality that soon soon soon I'll be bringing Max home. We are certainly enjoying this part, but the best is yet to come!

We're here!!

Hi Everyone,

It was a smooth day of traveling. Heidi brought us to the airport, we flew to San Francisco, then 12 hours to Beijing. The plane was not crowded at all. In fact, Car found a row of seats and took a long nap. I didn't sleep much, but am feeling fine.

Beijing has an incredible airport!! I could see my face in the floor - clean, big, and empty! I swear we must have gotten our luggage within 15 minutes of leaving the airplane. The airport was completly empty because of the Chinese New Year, so that part was really easy.

When we left the secure part of the airport, we met Charlotte, our guide. We ended up having to wait for another couple to arrive - they were coming from Chicago. Their names are Kevin and Dawn, and they are adopting a 2 1/2 year old girl. We will be together with them in Beijing, then travel to our provinces separately, then meet again in Guangzouh.

The whole gang and our luggage squeezed into a van, and drove to our hotel. We're staying at the Wangfujing Grand, a lovely hotel with an authentic Chinese feel. We're on the 12th floor, and we have a view of the Forbidden City. Pretty amazing. Right now, there are fireworks going off periodically because of the Chinese New Year celebration.

Car and I have settled into the room, and will venture out to get something to eat before crashing. I am ready to sleep now, that's for sure!

Tomorrow we are meeting Charlotte at 9:00 for a tour of TianAnMen Square, the Forbidden City, and other sights. I can't wait. This is definitely the easy part of the trip!

Good night everyone!!
:)

We're off!

Hello Everyone,
The day is finally here, which seems monumental. Car arrived here on Saturday, and we've been basically going gangbusters to get ready for today. I worked until yesterday afternoon, and Car ran errands while I worked. She is amazing!!

My send off was incredible! It started, of course, with one heck of a baby party that my friends gave me. That one ended with five of us standing in line for fries and shakes at Dicks at 2:30 in the morning. My school's parents, the awesome teachers, the administrators all celebrated our departure! That was a really nice way to connect with everyone, receive hundreds of hugs and many more well-wishes. Thank you all for your warmth and support. By the way, I couldn't do all of this without you. You are so much a part of this!!

One thing Car was able to track down was a special feeding nipple that goes on a bottle for a cleft lip/palatte baby. Children's Hospital just gave us one. We'll see if Max needs it, or if he has figured out how to feed by now.

Backs are packed (3 - pretty amazing!), lists are crossed off, rides arranged - we're good to go. We're catching a 7:45 flight to San Francisco, then to Beijing - 12 1/2 hours. Phew!! It's a good thing the plane ride is so long. Once in Beijing, we'll be met by our guide and then also another couple who is traveling with us. At least that's what the itinerary says; I was told to be flexible... very flexible... as plans tend to change.

So now, we're off. I'll write to you once we're in Beijing!!

The Travel Itinerary

So, as we're preparing for our trip, I know a lot of people will be thinking of us and where we are. Here's the plan:
Thursday: fly to Beijing
Friday and Saturday: tour TianAnMen Square, the Forbidden City and Summer Palace, and the Great Wall.
Sunday: fly to Chongqing
Monday: Get Max
Tuesday through Friday: a series of appointments, and tour the panda house at the Chongqing Zoo. Fly to Guangzhou.
Saturday through Wednesday: City tours and medical appointments, interview with U.S. Consulate
Thursday: Fly to Beijing, San Fran then home!!

Woo woo!

Got the travel approval today!!

Hi Everyone,
It's true - I got the travel approval today, which means that Carolyn and I can travel on the 28th, which is just under two weeks away... gulp!!

I'm just going to gush about Carolyn for a little bit here. If she reads this, she'll be embarrased for sure, but it's totally worth it. Carolyn is my best friend from college who lives in Panama with her husband and four awesome children. She and I try to see each other every year. Sometimes I fly to Panama (I tried for XMas this year, but didn't make it because of a huge snow storm that shut down the city for several days). sometimes she travels here, and sometimes we meet somewhere in the middle. Every time we meet, it's an adventure!! Car has to travel to San Francisco first to get her visa, then travel up here. Very complicated, and I can't believe she will do this, all to help me out!! She is truly amazing, and I am so greatful to her and her family for their support in this endeavour!! Thank you!

So we will follow the agenda that I indicated below, leaving on the 28th, and coming back on Feb. 12. I'm sure I'll post more soon.

I'm so happy - it's really happening now!!
:)