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To Sleep Or Not To Sleep

The plane trip home went pretty quickly. None of us except for Junie slept. It's amazing that you can go 26 hours without sleep and still be able to drive home from the airport.

We spent the next four hours unpacking, checking messages, checking mail, and making phone calls. Even after we went to bed, John and I didn't get much sleep because June was up on and off throughout the night. Friday morning we were tired, but got going anyway. We didn't accomplish much. June had a doctor's appointment then we went to Gabby's old school to pick up the guinea pigs who were staying there while we were in China. Everyone wanted to see June so we said quick hellos to most then went to see Gabby's fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Seymour. We stayed awhile and talked to the class about China and June's adoption.

We were home by 4:00pm and all asleep in the livingroom by 5:00pm. Gabby fell asleep in my chair. John and June slept in John's chair. They both slept until 10:00pm in the livingroom and then went to bed. I slept in the livingroom until around 8:30pm and then got up to take care of June. After John and Gabby went to bed, I couldn't sleep so I stayed up and puttered around the house. Gabby woke up about this morning around 2:00am and she helped me clean. By 3:00am John and June were up, but stayed in the bedroom until 5:00am. Isn't jet lag a wonderful thing.

So, this morning we decided that we would stay awake until 7:00 tonight. The only way to do that is to keep moving. We started off good. We did some visiting, some shopping, did lunch. John didn't feel good, so we dropped him off at home, then Gabby, Junie, and I continued on our quest to get June some cool weather clothes and get some real food in the house. Gabby was having trouble keeping her eyes open in the car, so we stopped to get some ice cream. I don't know if it was the sugar or the fact that the ice cream was cold, but we both had a little more energy. It didn't last long. By the time we made our final stop at the grocery store, we were all a little cranky and ready to go home.

Gabby was the first to go. She fell asleep despite June's crying. She was about 20 minutes shy of the 7:00pm goal. June fell asleep about 10 minutes later. John napped while the rest of us were shopping, so he will probably outlast me. I'll be asleep as soon as I post this, brush my teeth, then put my head on the pillow. Sweet dreams everyone.

We're Coming Home

We're all packed and ready to go. We have a 4:30am wakeup call so that we can leave the hotel by 5:30. Amazingly, we were able to fit everything we brought plus everything we bought into the suitcases we already had.

Our plane leaves Guangzhou at 8:15 am. We arrive at the Elmira airport Thursday evening around 6:00. It will be so good to be back on American soil.

The Gardens

The hotel had a beautiful outdoor area with a stone path and ponds full of koi fish. We did not discover how to access the garden area until today.

Points Of Interest

We ate at Madison's Steakhouse four times during our stay. The food was pretty good although the hamburgers still tasted like meatloaf. Most of the time Junie was in a kiddie chair. This once, we sat her next to John in the booth. She looks so tiny.

We had the same waitress every visit. The last time we went, June was fussy so our waitress and another waitress took June and walked around with her.

This guy was delivering soda. He wasn't very loaded down this day, but we've seen bikes with more drinks stacked up.

This was another one of the delivery bikes. These bikes were set up nicely for delivering stuff. We've seen them loaded down with water bottles too. Today, while we were in a taxi we saw a regular bicycle with three square feet of cardboard attached to his seat with rope. The guy couldn't ride the bike with all of the cardboard on the seat, so he was walking the bike.

This was one of the nice squatty potties. This one was clean and had toilet paper. We were lucky that there were also regular toilets at the local Ikea store.

Ni Hao. Wo jiao Kim.

Here are a couple of words in English then Chinese (spelled phonetically):

Hello - Nee How
Goodbye - Zie Jen
Good Morning - Zow
Please - Cheeng
Thank You - Shay Shay
You're Welcome - Buke A Chee
Not Good - Boo How
So So - Mama Who Who
Excuse Me - Dwee Boo Chee

Hot Potato

One of my last posts was about what to expect from food while you're in Guangzhou. Even knowing all that we do, mistakes still happen.

Gabby saw a baked potato with butter and sour cream on the menu of one of the restaurants we went to. It wouldn't seem like you would have to explain exactly what you wanted since the menu was this specific.

Gabby got her potato and everything looked great. The potato was on the small side, but there was butter and sour cream in little dishes on the plate. Gabby was so excited to get something that she would like. So, she doctored up her potato with lots of butter and sour cream. It was looking good. Then she took a bite. It wasn't quite right. It tasted kind of sweet.

John said, "Do you think that it isn't sour cream?" So, I dipped my finger in the white stuff and immediately knew that it wasn't sour cream. It was light and fluffy to the touch. I was pretty sure what it was, but I took a taste anyway. Yep, it was whipped cream. Gabby had just made up her baked potato with butter and whipped cream. It could have been worse. At least whipped cream tastes good. We're lucky that it wasn't shaving cream.

The Congee Restaurant

This is the closest Congee restaurant to the hotel. It is only a 5 minute walk. With the traffic it is about a 10 minute or longer drive during rush hour.

The first time we went into the congee shop, the only menu we saw was the one above the counter. We were fortunate that they handed us an English menu. There are too many choices of Congee to try to choose without having a menu to point at.

There are many choices of food on this side of the menu,

but the choices of congee are as follows:

beef

pork

pork liver

fish

meatballs

ji di (all of the previous meats)

fish stomach & bone

lean pork & preserved egg

tin zai (fish, squid, bbq pork, dry pork skin, peanuts)

pork kidney

pork stomach

frog

chicken leg meat

plain

We were able to get a close-up of another part of the menu that speaks for itself. I thought that the pig trotters and local frog were especially interesting. We didn't order either.

Edicate For Eating Out

I know I've talked about eating out before, so there may be some repeat information here. We have only been in Guangzhou, so I don't know what other areas would be like. Here's what we've learned.

1. Ask for exactly what you want. Be specific. If you want you pizza with tomato sauce and cheese, say exactly that.

2. Expect to get something different from what you asked for. If it isn't what you want, either eat what you get or order something else. Usually if the waiter doesn't get it right the first time, he won't get it right the second time. I asked if we could order and the waiter thought we wanted water. Understandable. Order and water does sound similar. We drank the water.

3. Ask for a picture menu or English menu. This doesn't mean that you will get what you want, but you'll get closer. Both pictures and words can be deceiving. Pictures don't tell you what kind of meat. Words are just translations, so they may not match what we think we're getting. That's how we got chocolate ice cream once. The menu said chocolate milk shake.

4. You have to flag someone down if you want service. The waiter will seat you and offer you menus, but will not take your order unless you flag him down. After you receive your food, your waiter will not come back to your table to check on you or bring you the bill until you flag him down. Don't worry, there will always be a waiter or waitress watching you while you eat so they can be ready when you raise your hand.

5. Pointing and hand signals are very effective. We have pointed to food on the table next to us. Also, John has pretended to sign his hand to signal for the bill. Smiles go a long way.

6. Never take big bites. This is John's rule. So far, we haven't had any problems with bones in the food that shouldn't be there or food not being anything like you expected. John has experienced this in other parts of Asia and I think it is still good advice. I am allergic to all fish, so I'm particularly careful. John is generally my food taster.

7. If you are very fussy, fast food restaurants can be your friend. There are tons of McDonalds and KFCs in Guangzhou. The food is pretty much like it is at home with a few Chinese additions. At most non-chain restaurants a hamburger will taste like meatloaf. It's not bad, but not what you're expecting. Fortunately, McDonalds actually has regular hamburgers. They taste a little bit different, but are close enough.

8. Drinks are rarely very cold. Unless you specifically ask for ice, you won't get it. Gabby and I really like our drinks cold. Asking for ice water gets you water without ice. So now we ask for a glass of water and a glass of ice. This usually works.

9. Go with the flow. You're in Kansas anymore. Don't expect things to be like they are at home and you'll be perfectly happy.

Nature At Its Best

Today we encountered all kinds of nature. Our first stop was the zoo.

Guangzhou zoo is supposed to be the largest zoo in China. We saw a lot of animals that we've seen before, but a couple of new ones too.

This orangatan was the largest one I've ever seen. He was at least 500 lbs.

June was impressed too.

This Asian black bear was looking for someone to throw him food.

This is the closest I've been to a Bengal tiger.

We've seen the hippos before, but Gabby didn't remember, so we had to get a picture.

This miniature deer couldn't have weighed more than 5 lbs. We don't have a picture, but one looked like a chihuahua to Gabby. She was right.

This was the highlight of our trip to the zoo. Gabby and I and four other people from our group fed the monkies. They were incredibly gentle as they grabbed the food from your hand.

One of the zoo keepers motioned for Gabby to hold the food up high.

I took a turn at it too. It was amazing at how gently they landed. Both Gabby and I agree that their landing on our shoulders was much softer than a cat's landing.

We were also fortunate to see the giant panda, but our pictures were too blurry to post.

During our visit at the zoo, all of our families experienced a little extra nature in the form of rain. It rained cats and dogs. It felt really good until it stopped. Then the humidity kicked in. If we weren't already wet from the rain by then, we'd certainly be soaked from sweat...think more humid then Florida. We actually have a couple of Florida residents in our group who complained about the humidity if that tells you anything.

After the zoo, we went back to Shaiman Island for a little Dim Sum for lunch. It was very good and the first Chinese food that I actually have enjoyed during our stay. Many of our group who didn't go to the zoo met us on the island. We weren't the only group at the restaurant. In all there were probably 20 families with 20 babies, not all of whom were happy. It is certainly loud, but I think we're all used to it after more than 2 weeks together. In our 8 bus trips we haven't had a single trip without at least one screaming baby. After lunch we were going to stay to do some shopping, but a drenching rain curbed everyones shopping appetite.

Yesterday, I was sick with a fever and tummy trouble, so Gabby and John went to the local Mexican restaurant. Gabby really liked it, so we went back tonight. The food was good, very greasy, but flavorful. We had nachos con carne (beef) and quesadillas con pollo y queso (chicken and cheese).

It's amazing how nature pops up everywhere you look. Between getting the nachos and the quesadillas, I saw a medium sized rat scurry out of the kitchen and under one of the buffet tables. Gabby commented, "The only good places you can find to eat have rats." She's referring to a story that John told us about one of his favorite places for dumplings in Korea or Taiwan, I can't remember now, that had rat issues. Gabby also said, "That's okay, I'll still come back." That's just how it is when you can't find food that you like to eat. You take what you can get under whatever conditions.

Potato Chips Anyone

You can get all kinds of snacks at the 7-Eleven. Gabby and I really enjoy the chocolate ice cream Nutty Buddy cones. There is also candy and chips. You can find chip that have just salt and we have also seen sour cream and onion flavor. Here are a couple of other flavors that I'm sure you won't find states side.

Green Cucumber and Refreshing Lime

Tomato and Spicy Seafood

Finger Licking Braised Pork, Sizzled Barbecue, and Tomato

Korean Kimchi and Black Pepper Rib Eye Steak

Ice Cream Pictures

We didn't get pictures of June's first ice cream,

but we did get pictures of her second one.

Jeopardy China

The answer is Chocolate Milkshake.

1. What is chocolate ice cream covered in apples and watermelon?

2. What is frothy milk with chocolate flavoring?

3. What is hot chocolate?

All of these answers are correct. We've ordered chocolate milkshakes from three different restaurants in China and each time received a different beverage. I think we'll keep trying just for fun.

The Toy Market

We were going to go to see the country side today, but so many babies were sick with respiratory infections and stomach problems that we had to cancel the trip. John, Gabby, Junie, and I went to the toy market instead.

It was a short cab ride there, but we went on so many side streets that we could never find our way back. The toy market was in a large building that was like a maze. The aisles between the shops were only about three feet wide. Each shop was a small cubby filled with toys, jewelry, or other items. Many of the shops were only three to six feet wide and only six feet deep. In any aisle there could be as many as fourty shops and there were about ten aisles an each floor. We spent about three hours at the market and stopped at about fifty shops.

The prices were really good. We haggled a bit, but didn't need to. We left the building with some really neat stuff. Getting back to the hotel was challenging because getting a cab as almost impossible. It took us more than a half an hour to flag one down. We were so glad to get off our feet.

Cute Junie Pictures

Gabby and June looking at videos.

Dead to the world.

Bath time.

June had a hard night.

Guangzhou Pictures

Instead of cutting this tree down,

they just paved around it. Cars

drive on either side of it to park

in the parking garage.

This is the area where we would

exchange money at the hotel.

This is the check in counter.

Most of the apartment have clothing

hanging outside from the railings,

electrical wires, or rope. This was one

of the nicer apartments in the area.

This is the sign at the front of the hotel.

This is the view from our room.

Butter incident threatens US & Chinese relations

John was under the weather tonight, so Gabby, Junie, and I went down to the restaurant in the hotel to eat dinner. Things went pretty well. Gabby and I were both able to find something we liked. We discovered that a milk shake was probably literally shaken milk. I ordered a chocolate one. It tasted and was the consistency of chocolate milk with a layer of foam a couple inches of thick foam on the top. It worked for me.

June slept through most of dinner. When she woke up, she grabbed for everything on the table. I let her play with one of the little individual butters. As we were leaving the restaurant, I realized that June still had the butter pat in her hand. Both Gabby and I laughed and forgot about it until we both heard a popping sound and I felt something under my foot. June had dropped the butter and I had managed to step on it. It made an amazingly loud pop and squirted out onto the marble floor in the hotel lobby.

I said, "Gabby, quick get something!" She started laughing and said, "Get what?" I said, "I don't know" and started laughing too. By that time, we had a couple of onlookers including one of the hotel staff. Not having the diaper bag with me or even a tissue in my pocket I wasn't sure what to do. So, with June strapped to my belly, I bent down to the floor and started scooping up the butter with my fingers. The more I scooped the harder both Gabby and I laughed. Within seconds, I had all of the butter off the floor and spread over all of my fingers.

On the way to the elevator, I discarded the butter container and most of the butter into the nearest trash can. Still having very buttery fingers, I pointed to my purse and told Gabby to get the key card for the elevator and room. The other people must have thought we were crazy because I was standing there with my hands in the air, far away from June's reach, and Gabby and I were both laughing as she reached between the other passengers to punch in our floor number.

We giggled all the way to the room. What a fun experience.

Negotiation

Shopping is all about negotiation or bartering here. When we went to Shaiman Island on our own yesterday, various shop keepers, tried to lure us into their shops with various offers of good prices and good quality.

Round One:
One shop had hand painted pictures, and I mean literally painted with the artist's hand. He used black ink on his fingers and parts of his hand to make various drawings. I really liked them, but we decided to do other shopping and come back. The shop keeper asked my name then told me her name was Maddy. She said, "Buy now. I'll give you a good price." I said that we'd come back. She said, "For you Kim, I'll make a good price." This was step one of the price negotiation. with the shop keeper named Maddy.

We came back about an hour later and picked out three pictures that we liked. Maddy wanted to deal with me, but I pointed to John and said he's the boss, which was a first. So, John stepped up to start the negotiation. Unfortunately, Maddy was distracted because Gabby and I were looking at stamps that could be customized with the chinese charaters of our names.

Round Two:
John tried to start negotiations, but they were kind of called off because of Gabby and I looking at the stamps. Maddy got our names and Chinese zodiac signs and had everything translated and ready to go in case we decided to buy the stamps. The stamps would have our name in English and Chinese.

Round Three:
With nothing left to try to sell us, Maddy started to deal with John. She offered all three pictures to us for 200 yuan and said that was a good deal because one of the pictures was more expensive. It actually looked less intricate than the others to me. She also quoted us 680 yuan for the four stamps.

Round Four:
Gabby and I left with a lame excuse that we were going to buy ice cream and sodas at the 7-Eleven. John countered Maddy's price of 880 yuan for everything with, "Too much" So, Maddy immediately dropped the price to 800. John countered with, "Too much" Then with a calculator she proceeded to show John how much that was in US currency. It was about $120. She was trying to switch it up by quoting US money, but John was ready with, "Too much." She dropped it down first to $115 US then $110 US.

Round Five:
Maddy tried a different avenue. She said, "Oh, your daughters are so beautiful, your wife is so pretty, you are handsome." John said, "Nice try" and did the universal sign for Pinochio, pulling his fingers out from his nose and making a whoop sound. John said, "You should have left it with the kids are beautiful. You went too far with the you're handsome line." Maddy laughed. She knew she had been caught. Now we were down to $100 US.

Round Six:
It was John's turn to switch it up. Maddy asked repeatedly for John to put in a number on the calculator. John said, "No, I'll put in a number too low and you'll get mad at me. You'll hit me or something." then he grinned really big. She said, "No, no, put in a number." Again John said, "It'll be too low. You'll be mad at me." About this time, Gabby and I came out from the store with ice cream and a soda for John.

Round Seven: The Stall
John breaks off the price negotiations to sit with me and Gabby and enjoy our snack. Maddy protests, "Don't leave. Buy now." John says, "Don't worry. I can't run away. I need a break. You're too tough of a negotiator, too good a salesperson." About then, another family from our group showed up. John, Gabby and I chatted with them for a few minutes.

Round Eight:
John walks back to Maddy with his soda and says, "You're too tough. I needed a break." Maddy replied, "No you're too tough. I needed a break." John offers to buy her a soda. She laughs. We were down to $100 US. Maddy switches back to yuan. Her new price is 700 yuan. John says, "Getting better, but too much." There's lots of talking back and forth. Maddy offers 600 yuan. John says, "This is good, but it still needs to be better."

Round Nine:
Maddy switches tactics. She gets a little bit whiny like a five year old begging for a toy. She says, "Please, please buy something from me today. Business has been so slow." John says, "You are very good. The t-shirt lady cracked by now." Maddy begs more and offers John the calculator saying, "Please, how much?" She finally types in 550 and goes through a detailed calculation showing how she is giving us a good deal.

End game. John points to our friends from the group and says, "They only paid 100 yuan per stamp at the other store." Maddy says, "Mine are much better quality. Have an artist that does it with very good detail. Chinese characters are very difficult to do." John counters, "You'd think the English characters would be more difficult because you've had more practice with Chinese." At this point Maddy gives in. She and John agree on 500 yuan, about $60 US, for everything. She will have one of the pictures repainted because I didn't like the paper it was on. Maddy asks for all the money immediately, but we couldn't get the paintings and stamps until the next day.

Of course, John couldn't let her off that easily. First he talks about the stamps. He says, "I want you to make sure that the translations on the stamps are good. I don't want them to say bad American, cheap skate, or something like that. She assured John it would be a good translation and showed John the characters on her pocket translator. Then John said, "300 yuan now, 200 when we pick everything up, and you have to call me handsome again."

Shopping

We did a bit of shopping yesterday. We were mostly looking for souveniers for other people, but I ended up finding a couple of t-shirts for me. We still have a bit of shopping to do, but we made a good dent in our list. Take a look at the pictures.

This is a hand painted feather.

It is customary for the shop keepers to give

you something for free because you're such

good customers. This was one of the freebees

that we were given for our "beautiful baby".

Wai gong means grandfather on the mother's side.

Ye ye (yeah yah) means grandfather on the father's side.

The symbols on this shirt mean good fortune.

These are the official olympic characters.

Internet Issues

We've been fighting with the internet in our room. We couldn't get any access yesterday, but today it has been good. That's why there are so many posts today. I'll have a bunch more to post tonight (your morning) as we are going to do a little sight seeing and shopping with our group.

Mom & Dad M - No we didn't feel any affect from the typhoon. The weather here has been warm and sunny.

This Is Your Brain On Leeche

Everything is a new experience for June. Today John brought a leeche nut back from the hotel buffet. June wasn't too sure what to do with it.

This is a toy

This is a leeche nut

This is June with a leeche nut