The group split up yesterday with all the families taking different flights to their orphanage towns. We will meet again in 3 or 4 days in Shanghai and I think it will be so interesting for the girls to share their individual experiences. Some of the orphanages have basically gone out of business and are now old age homes and the few children they have there are probably special needs kids. Kate's orphanage has never been open and I've never been there. I picked her up in Nanning a charming town very near the Vietnam borded so this trip to her orphanage in the town of Liu Zhou will be a first.
We flew into Guilin in the souther part of China, which is known for its beautiful scenery. Every Chinese scroll seems to be painted with the mountains of Guilin. The guide explained yesterday that this area had been under water for many years and I was really reminded of the black smokers in the Hall of Planet Earth at the Museum. The mountains look like black smokers just covered with vegetation. Quite striking.
This morning which is the anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party, we are going on a boat ride on the River Li and ikt turns out that all the foreigners go on one boat and all the Chinese go on boats together. I secretly just want to go to the swimming pool! And we've reached that stage in our trip where we are all a little homesick. We want to sleep in our own beds, we miss Miss Murray and me, specially, I want to eat something other than Chinese food. There seem to be no ethnic or immigrant groups that are large enough to sustain a restaurant of their own food. Even the French who only eat French food have restaurants of other cuisines. Therefore here there are no vietnamese, Thai or any other kind of restaurant. Last night we had dinner in a restaurant called McFound which looked exactly like my idea of a Wendy's but had great food. But Chinese.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
On The Road Again
We left Beijing some time ago and came to the beautiful and historic city of Xian. The reason I'm so shaky about dates is that we organized ourselves around the computer, and blogging of course, and when we got to Xian, all of our computer stuff went down.
We've been to a sort of Panda Preserve outside of Xian, toured the improbable and amazing Terrac Cotta warriors and of course we've gone through all kinds of souvenir and food markets. The Pandas were to have been a big highlight of the trip and all sorts of photo ops planned around cute children holding cuter pandas, but the Chengdu earthquake put a stop to all that. We saw pandas but the entire zoo, because that is what it was, seemed rooted in the 1950s.
In fact the earthquake has made this trip more relaxing because we are spending more time in each place. But since the temperatures are hovering in the 102 to 105 range, I'm glad that we are moving more slowly. Although early the other morning we all rented bikes and rode 9 miles on the Xian city walls which was great fun.
Today we are going to the Big Goose Pagoda. Sounds like a destination to me.
All the kids continue to bond and the adults as well. It's a very easy group and will be happy to leave them this afternoon as we go off to Guilin andthen to Kate's orphanage and then glad to see everybody again in Shanghai for a day or two before we fly back to the States.
We've been to a sort of Panda Preserve outside of Xian, toured the improbable and amazing Terrac Cotta warriors and of course we've gone through all kinds of souvenir and food markets. The Pandas were to have been a big highlight of the trip and all sorts of photo ops planned around cute children holding cuter pandas, but the Chengdu earthquake put a stop to all that. We saw pandas but the entire zoo, because that is what it was, seemed rooted in the 1950s.
In fact the earthquake has made this trip more relaxing because we are spending more time in each place. But since the temperatures are hovering in the 102 to 105 range, I'm glad that we are moving more slowly. Although early the other morning we all rented bikes and rode 9 miles on the Xian city walls which was great fun.
Today we are going to the Big Goose Pagoda. Sounds like a destination to me.
All the kids continue to bond and the adults as well. It's a very easy group and will be happy to leave them this afternoon as we go off to Guilin andthen to Kate's orphanage and then glad to see everybody again in Shanghai for a day or two before we fly back to the States.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Temple of Heaven, Ming Tombs, Great Wall - Yow!
On Tuesday morning, our tour group went to the Temple of Heaven, one of the largest temple complexes in China. More inspiring than the architecture - Hall of August Heaven, Red Step Bridge, Echo Wall, Seven Star Rock, Hall of Abstinence - was the park setting itself. Hundreds of people engaging in physical and spiritual exercise Groups of retirees practicing tai chi, various martial arts, flying kites, ad hoc operatic concerts...it's like Central Park with heart. Our local guide, William, has bonded with Kate. He loves her grasp of the language, she his exuberance and humor. The rest of the day included visits to a silk museum, a local marketplace, an acrobatic show and a Peking Duck dinner.
Wednesday morning, we visited a jade factory and walked the Sacred Way at the Ming Tombs. Sixteen Ming emporers are buried in the hills, spread over fifteen square miles. The Sacred Way is a four-mile approach to the tombs, lined with 36 stone statues of soldiers, animals and mythical beasts. The morning was misty, the arrow-straight walkway secluded and quiet, lined by weeping willows. It was an eerily beautiful walk, thoroughly rejuvenating...Which was a good thing, since the morning was spent clambering, climbing and clawing our way up the Great Wall. The section at Badaling, where we went, was built around 1505, during the Ming Dynasty. It was restored during the 1950s and 1980s, and has tourist amenities, unlike other sections of the wall. I don't think you could ever find a time of day when there weren't a gazillion people climbing alongside you there. But it was awe-inspiring nonetheless.
Wednesday morning, we visited a jade factory and walked the Sacred Way at the Ming Tombs. Sixteen Ming emporers are buried in the hills, spread over fifteen square miles. The Sacred Way is a four-mile approach to the tombs, lined with 36 stone statues of soldiers, animals and mythical beasts. The morning was misty, the arrow-straight walkway secluded and quiet, lined by weeping willows. It was an eerily beautiful walk, thoroughly rejuvenating...Which was a good thing, since the morning was spent clambering, climbing and clawing our way up the Great Wall. The section at Badaling, where we went, was built around 1505, during the Ming Dynasty. It was restored during the 1950s and 1980s, and has tourist amenities, unlike other sections of the wall. I don't think you could ever find a time of day when there weren't a gazillion people climbing alongside you there. But it was awe-inspiring nonetheless.
Monday, June 23, 2008
MARCO POLO
kate has been spending as much time as she can in the pool with Mei and some of the other children on the tour playing Marco Polo which is pretty much a water version of blind mans bluff. So last night exhausted from too much of everything, kate called out in the middle of the night, "Marco" and when there was no answering "Polo," said again in an aggrevated voice "MARCO" and when I answered "Polo," she went right back to sleep.
Today's sermon...
I got a call this morning at 3 am (3pm yesterday in NY). A friend and business associate who wasn't aware I was in China. Ed worked with me at my previous job, under the same tyrannical egotist. He was calling to let me know he lost his job. I couldn't get back to sleep after that call. My first thoughts were of recollecting my anger with my former boss, and of how I might help my friend. But then, selfishly, I began to think of the contrast between Ed's situation and where I am in my life these days. I love my new family (and my old, too, of course) and I love my job. Our health is good, and we're on an awsome adventure in a magical place. Life is good. I found myself thinking happiness is a fragile thing, and when you have it (whatever "it" is for you) it's so important to recognize it, wallow in it..
Imagine a forbidden city of 9,999 & 1/2 rooms (1/2 less than the Emporer's boss..God). Incredible craftsmanship. Nesting palaces within palaces. Enormous wealth..and (for the accountants out there) an intricate mathematical hierarchy dictating the size of each palace, the number of bridges, the size of doors, the number of mythical beasts guarding the portal, the color of each roof (nine beasts and a yellow roof reserved for the emporer).
And that was just the first stop on the first official day's tour. We visited a kindergarten where our kids sung the Do Re Mi song (from the Sound of Music) to the class, and they sung it back, in Chinese. Cheesy? Yeah, a little bit, but touching, as well. We had lunch at the home of a local resident who resided in one of the thousands of hutongs (ancient alleyways bordered by walled homes). After lunch, he serenaded us with some ancient stringed instrument, while our male guide sung opera in the female's role. Then Kate was invited to play the instrument, and several cats in the neighborhood fell off their fences. Then, on to the drum tower. Seven zillion steps to the top, followed by a 360 degree view of Beijing. Kate bonded immediately with the other kids, so when the tour ended for the day at 4:30, they met for a swim at the hotel pool. We met a friend from the States for dinner at a lovely Vietnamese restaurant, looking out on a lake...Kate's head was in her plate before the appetizer came.
Well rested now, though, and ready for another fulfilling day. More later.
Imagine a forbidden city of 9,999 & 1/2 rooms (1/2 less than the Emporer's boss..God). Incredible craftsmanship. Nesting palaces within palaces. Enormous wealth..and (for the accountants out there) an intricate mathematical hierarchy dictating the size of each palace, the number of bridges, the size of doors, the number of mythical beasts guarding the portal, the color of each roof (nine beasts and a yellow roof reserved for the emporer).
And that was just the first stop on the first official day's tour. We visited a kindergarten where our kids sung the Do Re Mi song (from the Sound of Music) to the class, and they sung it back, in Chinese. Cheesy? Yeah, a little bit, but touching, as well. We had lunch at the home of a local resident who resided in one of the thousands of hutongs (ancient alleyways bordered by walled homes). After lunch, he serenaded us with some ancient stringed instrument, while our male guide sung opera in the female's role. Then Kate was invited to play the instrument, and several cats in the neighborhood fell off their fences. Then, on to the drum tower. Seven zillion steps to the top, followed by a 360 degree view of Beijing. Kate bonded immediately with the other kids, so when the tour ended for the day at 4:30, they met for a swim at the hotel pool. We met a friend from the States for dinner at a lovely Vietnamese restaurant, looking out on a lake...Kate's head was in her plate before the appetizer came.
Well rested now, though, and ready for another fulfilling day. More later.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
BEIJING - Sunday
Another hot and steamy day. I'm hoping for rain and a great cooling. But so far it's just damn humid...We met Martin,a guide I had arranged through Grandma Dot and he came by the hotel at 9 am so that we could explore and feel more comfortable here. We immediately sat him down and said that we had an urgent need for a cup of coffee and croissant. Arnie is having sugar withdrawal because everybody seems to eat watermelon and not have his compulsive need for chocolate. And now add coffee to that list. So with this mid course correction firmly in ace Martin took us to the Mall, I can't remember the name, but it is the largest mall in all of Asia. I hate malls but it was pretty impressive and most of all we had COFFEE. Lots of coffee.
I am whining about the heat, Arnie wants coffee and Kate is in heaven. She can't believe that we are really here and she is the object of a lot of very positive attention from both casual passersby and other people we have some contact with such as tour guides and waitresses, etc. Everybody wants to know her Chinese name which she now gives in the Chinese way with the last name first. There is always some conversation about the real meaning of her name in Mandarin and then a runaway discussion of the tonalities involved. Her name Wen Fu seems to be a combination of Lucky or Fu and then Wen could be warm or it could be interested in literature and writing. Well you can see how much fun this is for Kate. Many discussions about the shape of her face and what region she might really be from. Even though she is from Guangxi these topics are rich. And then there are the people who just stare. The Chinese tend to stare at everybody including other Chinese so Kate is a good target. The other day our taxi was stuck in traffic along side a bus and by the end of 5 minutes or less, everybody in the bus was staring at Kate who was alternately defiant, shy and then in gales of laughter.
Our life so far is reasonably relaxed, swimming this morning, off to the Lama Temple Complex which is still the home to many lamas who live and work there. The Lama Temple, bordered by innumerable small stalls that sell incense and other memorabilia,is a series of interconnecting squares with braziers set up in the middle for people who want to burn their joss sticks. You start with the traditional happy Buddah and by the time you wend your way back through these mirror squares you come to the big and towering Wenfu Ge which is enormous, maybe 55ft high.
We went on to lunch in some nameless but very good Chinese retaurant and then bought jade bracelets and a jade necklace for kate. We then staggered into the Modern Museum of China which is quite sensational with alot of avant garde and interactive art. Full of families checking it out. Nap time. We all had trouble getting up and going on to dinner at an open air restaurant by the Lake which seems to be a popular gathering place for families and then at night it becomes the street of bars. One bar after another all with live music. We are all exhausted now.
The real tour begins tomorrow.
I am whining about the heat, Arnie wants coffee and Kate is in heaven. She can't believe that we are really here and she is the object of a lot of very positive attention from both casual passersby and other people we have some contact with such as tour guides and waitresses, etc. Everybody wants to know her Chinese name which she now gives in the Chinese way with the last name first. There is always some conversation about the real meaning of her name in Mandarin and then a runaway discussion of the tonalities involved. Her name Wen Fu seems to be a combination of Lucky or Fu and then Wen could be warm or it could be interested in literature and writing. Well you can see how much fun this is for Kate. Many discussions about the shape of her face and what region she might really be from. Even though she is from Guangxi these topics are rich. And then there are the people who just stare. The Chinese tend to stare at everybody including other Chinese so Kate is a good target. The other day our taxi was stuck in traffic along side a bus and by the end of 5 minutes or less, everybody in the bus was staring at Kate who was alternately defiant, shy and then in gales of laughter.
Our life so far is reasonably relaxed, swimming this morning, off to the Lama Temple Complex which is still the home to many lamas who live and work there. The Lama Temple, bordered by innumerable small stalls that sell incense and other memorabilia,is a series of interconnecting squares with braziers set up in the middle for people who want to burn their joss sticks. You start with the traditional happy Buddah and by the time you wend your way back through these mirror squares you come to the big and towering Wenfu Ge which is enormous, maybe 55ft high.
We went on to lunch in some nameless but very good Chinese retaurant and then bought jade bracelets and a jade necklace for kate. We then staggered into the Modern Museum of China which is quite sensational with alot of avant garde and interactive art. Full of families checking it out. Nap time. We all had trouble getting up and going on to dinner at an open air restaurant by the Lake which seems to be a popular gathering place for families and then at night it becomes the street of bars. One bar after another all with live music. We are all exhausted now.
The real tour begins tomorrow.
BEIJING - Saturday
We're trying to figure out what kind of city Beijing is and at this writing it's still a mystery. Of course we haven't been here very long, and the neighborhood of our hotel is somewhat sanitized and architecturally boring with enormous and I do mean enormous buildings that tower over the 8 lane streets that are always teeming with cars and bicycles. I think we're a little nervous about venturing into other neighborhoods handicapped as we are with our non existent Mandarin.
The first night at the hotel we met a family from Bklyn who also came to Beijing for our tour and who came early to give themselves time to get over jet lag. What a joke that is. Everybody in our family and in theirs is still sleeping at inappropriate times and waking up in the middle of the night. Maybe we should have done the jet lag diet! Anyway we wll went out together on Saturday morning to see what we could see. First off we took the new subway. So modern, clean and very futuristic. It's so clear what a force the Olympics has been on Beijing with the massive construction, and other initiatives. I was interested to know that there is no smoking in restaurants and you will be charged for asking for a plastic bag in a shop.
Anyway we went off to Tia'an men Square just to see what was there. And what is there is a very large square indeed which is really not so interesting looking unless you remember that the
student protestors were crushed by tanks in 1989 or so. And then it's interesting. However on this humid Saturday morning it was full of tourists, Chinese families protecting themselves from the sun with lilac colored umbrellas, children in party dresses and a sprinkling of oh so thin Chinese military moving around purposefully.
We went off to a dumpling restaurant that we had read about in the WSJ and finally found a cab to take us there. Like cab drivers world wide Beijing drivers are a grumpy lot but in their case they never seem to have any knowledge of where you want to go. We always get there but it seems to be a major production. Great dumpling house and Arnie was in hog heaven. He loves Chinese food and anything that is not moving seems to be fair game for him. So after plates of dumplings with lamb and coriander or pork and carrot, it was wonderful to watch the two girls go slack jawed in astonishment at this large earthenware bowl covered with a two inch layer of ed peppers. The waitress scooped off alol the peppers and what was left was fish that I certainly didn't touch but I loved the drama of the presentation.
The first night at the hotel we met a family from Bklyn who also came to Beijing for our tour and who came early to give themselves time to get over jet lag. What a joke that is. Everybody in our family and in theirs is still sleeping at inappropriate times and waking up in the middle of the night. Maybe we should have done the jet lag diet! Anyway we wll went out together on Saturday morning to see what we could see. First off we took the new subway. So modern, clean and very futuristic. It's so clear what a force the Olympics has been on Beijing with the massive construction, and other initiatives. I was interested to know that there is no smoking in restaurants and you will be charged for asking for a plastic bag in a shop.
Anyway we went off to Tia'an men Square just to see what was there. And what is there is a very large square indeed which is really not so interesting looking unless you remember that the
student protestors were crushed by tanks in 1989 or so. And then it's interesting. However on this humid Saturday morning it was full of tourists, Chinese families protecting themselves from the sun with lilac colored umbrellas, children in party dresses and a sprinkling of oh so thin Chinese military moving around purposefully.
We went off to a dumpling restaurant that we had read about in the WSJ and finally found a cab to take us there. Like cab drivers world wide Beijing drivers are a grumpy lot but in their case they never seem to have any knowledge of where you want to go. We always get there but it seems to be a major production. Great dumpling house and Arnie was in hog heaven. He loves Chinese food and anything that is not moving seems to be fair game for him. So after plates of dumplings with lamb and coriander or pork and carrot, it was wonderful to watch the two girls go slack jawed in astonishment at this large earthenware bowl covered with a two inch layer of ed peppers. The waitress scooped off alol the peppers and what was left was fish that I certainly didn't touch but I loved the drama of the presentation.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Beijing
Our hotel room is on the 15th floor and we have great light and a window that reminds me of the Musee D'orsayhYesterday I sat our window
The day after we arrive.
When I woke up ( four in the morning,) we all went to the pool. What fun! The pool was very big and it was shallow. I could touch the floor in some places, some places I could not reach but it was still easy to touch after dunking into the water. The problem was that we had to wear swim caps. I hate swim caps. They make you look weird, and they are uncomfortable.
We met up with some friends who is on the tour. They had a a girl my age and we spent the whole day together, mainly in the pool! We met them at a breakfast buffet. The watermelon was so delicious! The girl is very nice and talkative, just like me! We had a lot of th ings in common. We both loved sports for one thing. When we went to the pool I did not realize that there were free combs! The other family pointed that out to me.
We went to the Tian'an Men Square, rumored to be the largest square in the world! It was so hot! We got bottled water. Well actually we got bottled ice, which quickly melted on the hot sun.
The hotel is placed in a very deserted neighborhood. Dad and I took a walk while mom was still half a sleep. We walked a couple blocks, fearing that we might get lost if we went to far, and headed back because there was nothing to see. Later that day we realized that if we had taken a different street we would be amongst lots of shops to look at.
We took the subway! We got tickets that look like metro cards except thicker. It was easy to use. All you had to do was hold the card up to the picture of the card that was on the machine. You would hear a beep and the little doors would slide open. It was easier than in New York because sometimes you swipe the card to fast you have to try again. That is the same if you swipe to slow.
We met up with some friends who is on the tour. They had a a girl my age and we spent the whole day together, mainly in the pool! We met them at a breakfast buffet. The watermelon was so delicious! The girl is very nice and talkative, just like me! We had a lot of th ings in common. We both loved sports for one thing. When we went to the pool I did not realize that there were free combs! The other family pointed that out to me.
We went to the Tian'an Men Square, rumored to be the largest square in the world! It was so hot! We got bottled water. Well actually we got bottled ice, which quickly melted on the hot sun.
The hotel is placed in a very deserted neighborhood. Dad and I took a walk while mom was still half a sleep. We walked a couple blocks, fearing that we might get lost if we went to far, and headed back because there was nothing to see. Later that day we realized that if we had taken a different street we would be amongst lots of shops to look at.
We took the subway! We got tickets that look like metro cards except thicker. It was easy to use. All you had to do was hold the card up to the picture of the card that was on the machine. You would hear a beep and the little doors would slide open. It was easier than in New York because sometimes you swipe the card to fast you have to try again. That is the same if you swipe to slow.
Friday, June 20, 2008
en route
Sallie says
Imagine what might happen if you left home without a wristwatch, cellphone and/or blackberry? No, there's no answer just imagine that. I'm doing it.
We left New York on Thursday morning via La Guardia for Toronto and then straight on to Beijing. Like making movies, so much of your time is spent waiting. Waiting for a taxi, the traffic, the airline personnel to check you in, the TSA security....you get it. Finally it's your moment in front of the camera or on the plane. And Air Canada was trumps. I had been imagining this flight in my darkest moments as sitting up in a straightback chair for 18 hours, like the night watchman do in certain Manhattan ATM's. But we quickly learned that not only was our NY to Toronto flight undersold but so was the Beijing flight. Empty seats which I decided quickly to liberate for myself, Arnie and Kate. We managed to spread out in such a way that what I did without a wristwatch, cellphone and blackberry was to sleep. Even clutching the newest Lee Child's book, I was that sleeper you sometimes see on planes. And it was only 12 hours and amazingly enough the plane was clean, the service was mostly helpful and food plentiful, hot and tasty. I know I'm writing like I never travel but too many trips on domestic airlines to Arizona can make you really quite appreciative of a flight like the one we had. Yeah Air Canada.
The Beijing Airport is newly constructed or some parts of it are newly constructed and the whole thing will look like a dragon! It's high tech, clean and enormous making New York airports look pretty third world! You see how finely organized Beijing is about the Olympics. Quick lines through immigration, an airport train and squads of efficient looking personnel are positioned everywhere, and the whole atmosphere is very impressive. Actually what was just as impressive as the corporate can do culture was the ability of our guide to reach out person to person and cut through a real problem we had when Kate left her fanny pack and new digital camera in a ladies room in the airport. I thought it was gone forever -- who gets stuff back from airport ladies rooms --because we couldn't go back through immigration but as we were driving from the airport in heavy New York type traffic, I mentioned this problem to William Li our guide. He picked up his cell phone and in a matter of seconds called someone to find out that a fanny pack with a camera and pack of Mongolian playing cards had been turned in. Holy Cow. Now how did he do that? That's my idea of being a fixer.
We are comfortably ensconced on the 15th floor of a really nice hotel in Central Beijing and we've all been down to the rococo Egyptian swimming pool. A perfect antidote for too much time spent on a plane. We also met one of the families who arrived in Beijing today....more time to see them for the next two weeks.
Tomorrow we will actually go out and see stuff. We are so off schedule in terms of time that
we will probably be up by 6!
I'
Imagine what might happen if you left home without a wristwatch, cellphone and/or blackberry? No, there's no answer just imagine that. I'm doing it.
We left New York on Thursday morning via La Guardia for Toronto and then straight on to Beijing. Like making movies, so much of your time is spent waiting. Waiting for a taxi, the traffic, the airline personnel to check you in, the TSA security....you get it. Finally it's your moment in front of the camera or on the plane. And Air Canada was trumps. I had been imagining this flight in my darkest moments as sitting up in a straightback chair for 18 hours, like the night watchman do in certain Manhattan ATM's. But we quickly learned that not only was our NY to Toronto flight undersold but so was the Beijing flight. Empty seats which I decided quickly to liberate for myself, Arnie and Kate. We managed to spread out in such a way that what I did without a wristwatch, cellphone and blackberry was to sleep. Even clutching the newest Lee Child's book, I was that sleeper you sometimes see on planes. And it was only 12 hours and amazingly enough the plane was clean, the service was mostly helpful and food plentiful, hot and tasty. I know I'm writing like I never travel but too many trips on domestic airlines to Arizona can make you really quite appreciative of a flight like the one we had. Yeah Air Canada.
The Beijing Airport is newly constructed or some parts of it are newly constructed and the whole thing will look like a dragon! It's high tech, clean and enormous making New York airports look pretty third world! You see how finely organized Beijing is about the Olympics. Quick lines through immigration, an airport train and squads of efficient looking personnel are positioned everywhere, and the whole atmosphere is very impressive. Actually what was just as impressive as the corporate can do culture was the ability of our guide to reach out person to person and cut through a real problem we had when Kate left her fanny pack and new digital camera in a ladies room in the airport. I thought it was gone forever -- who gets stuff back from airport ladies rooms --because we couldn't go back through immigration but as we were driving from the airport in heavy New York type traffic, I mentioned this problem to William Li our guide. He picked up his cell phone and in a matter of seconds called someone to find out that a fanny pack with a camera and pack of Mongolian playing cards had been turned in. Holy Cow. Now how did he do that? That's my idea of being a fixer.
We are comfortably ensconced on the 15th floor of a really nice hotel in Central Beijing and we've all been down to the rococo Egyptian swimming pool. A perfect antidote for too much time spent on a plane. We also met one of the families who arrived in Beijing today....more time to see them for the next two weeks.
Tomorrow we will actually go out and see stuff. We are so off schedule in terms of time that
we will probably be up by 6!
I'
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
And now a message from our sponsor...
That be me, the dad. So...I'm as excited as Kate and Sallie, to be taking this trip. It will be poignant for them, piercing, touching, both painfully affecting and pleasurably stimulating...err, wait, that was last week's party.
But seriously, I'm thrilled to be part of a trip that will serve to make us stronger as a family. Reliving the past, and transitioning to the future. Not to mention the food. What, 12 regional cuisines to sample? So much to gluttonize, so little time.
But seriously, I'm thrilled to be part of a trip that will serve to make us stronger as a family. Reliving the past, and transitioning to the future. Not to mention the food. What, 12 regional cuisines to sample? So much to gluttonize, so little time.
The Day Before the Flight
Today is the day before our travel to China. I am Kate writing. I am so excited I feel that if I keep too still my head is going to explode like a volcano!
I am looking foward to this trip. I still cannot believe that I am about to go on a plane all the way across the world on a, what seems to be a "legendary", trip to China. My mom keeps on saying, "Oh this summer we should go to China." She has been saying that for a couple of years now. Now we actually are going!
I am waiting to have an eurika moment when suddenly something reminds me of when I was a baby. Maybe a smell or a sight, something that reminds me of, what I call, my "babyhood."
I was born in China and my mom adopeted me from the orphanage. This will be my first time back to China. Infact, when I think of it, there will be a lot of firsts for me. First time I get to have my own digital camera, first time I will have to endure a very long flight since my babyhood, and my first time having my dad's old phone that only works as a toy. (cool)
Now I am going to prepare for cranky parents during security check and sitting in one place for eighteen hours.
I am looking foward to this trip. I still cannot believe that I am about to go on a plane all the way across the world on a, what seems to be a "legendary", trip to China. My mom keeps on saying, "Oh this summer we should go to China." She has been saying that for a couple of years now. Now we actually are going!
I am waiting to have an eurika moment when suddenly something reminds me of when I was a baby. Maybe a smell or a sight, something that reminds me of, what I call, my "babyhood."
I was born in China and my mom adopeted me from the orphanage. This will be my first time back to China. Infact, when I think of it, there will be a lot of firsts for me. First time I get to have my own digital camera, first time I will have to endure a very long flight since my babyhood, and my first time having my dad's old phone that only works as a toy. (cool)
Now I am going to prepare for cranky parents during security check and sitting in one place for eighteen hours.
The China Trip Begins
It's taken all of us months to really focus on this trip. It just wasn't real. We mad our airplane reservations in February, had endless helpful communiques galore with Michael Han and time to read the posts from a variety of groups devoted to going back to China. Not even irritating encounters with the Chinese consulate in my increasingly desperate quest for visas seemed to make this real.
Then Kate's school let out for the summer and the very next day she woke up early and packed her suitcase. I think that was the signal for all of us to take notice. Her previous ambivalence about the trip has seemed to diminish. She packed her suitcase, repacked her suitcase, at my instigation she made lists of what to pack and then packed the whole thing again. Arnie has now also packed. I'm still the
only one who hasn't packed. I've begun slinging stuff in the direction of my favorite orange suitcase, made
some notes about what I might pack, what I might really wear in high humidity and taken a crack at who
I wish to be during these two weeks: chic traveller, comfortable tourist or a combo of both. Those are
my image obsessions along with a real reluctance to acknowledge how long the flight is going to be. So of course along with the clothes are a ton of books.
We will leave on Thursday morning at 8:30 am for the airport, and if we're very lucky, then we and all our
little suitcases should surface in Beijing on Friday afternoon at about 5. Isn't that a daunting thought?
When I went to China in July of 1999 to pick up Kate, the entire flying thing was different. I used to go up
to the United checfk in desk and ask confidently for three empty seats together. And I got them on every leg of the trip. I somehow can't imagine doing that on this trip although my experience with Air Canada is nil. It's just that flying is like taking a greyhound bus now. Soon the stewardesses whatever they are called will really be teamsters. We are flying from New York to Toronto, changing planes and then flying from Toronto to Beijing.
We are all so excited.....Me, too even though I feel totally
absorbed in the details, such as remembering to pack a lunch for our trek, making sure that Michelle who will be dog sitting for Miss Murray knows where the fuse box is, thats just in case she turns on two air conditioners at the same time and tries to iron anything, picks up the right key so that the dog walkers can still get into the apartment, etc. Enough already! this is my vacation and a two week vacation at that.
Then Kate's school let out for the summer and the very next day she woke up early and packed her suitcase. I think that was the signal for all of us to take notice. Her previous ambivalence about the trip has seemed to diminish. She packed her suitcase, repacked her suitcase, at my instigation she made lists of what to pack and then packed the whole thing again. Arnie has now also packed. I'm still the
only one who hasn't packed. I've begun slinging stuff in the direction of my favorite orange suitcase, made
some notes about what I might pack, what I might really wear in high humidity and taken a crack at who
I wish to be during these two weeks: chic traveller, comfortable tourist or a combo of both. Those are
my image obsessions along with a real reluctance to acknowledge how long the flight is going to be. So of course along with the clothes are a ton of books.
We will leave on Thursday morning at 8:30 am for the airport, and if we're very lucky, then we and all our
little suitcases should surface in Beijing on Friday afternoon at about 5. Isn't that a daunting thought?
When I went to China in July of 1999 to pick up Kate, the entire flying thing was different. I used to go up
to the United checfk in desk and ask confidently for three empty seats together. And I got them on every leg of the trip. I somehow can't imagine doing that on this trip although my experience with Air Canada is nil. It's just that flying is like taking a greyhound bus now. Soon the stewardesses whatever they are called will really be teamsters. We are flying from New York to Toronto, changing planes and then flying from Toronto to Beijing.
We are all so excited.....Me, too even though I feel totally
absorbed in the details, such as remembering to pack a lunch for our trek, making sure that Michelle who will be dog sitting for Miss Murray knows where the fuse box is, thats just in case she turns on two air conditioners at the same time and tries to iron anything, picks up the right key so that the dog walkers can still get into the apartment, etc. Enough already! this is my vacation and a two week vacation at that.
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