Consulate Appointment

We had an early Consulate appointment; we joined a roomful of about twelve American families all preparing to bring children home. We all took an oath together. I can't remember what I promised, but it was reasonable, whatever it was.  They called our name first, so we got to hand over the last papers and sign one thing, and we were done.  Ruby becomes an American citizen once we make it through the immigration desk at the airport in DC. 

The next stop was Shamian Island, a small island in the Pearl River. The government conceded the island foreign forces in the 1920s, and Chinese nationals were forbidden from entering. The buildings have a colonial feel, and it is peaceful and pleasant on the island. Brides come here for formal photos. Recently the island has been the epicenter of US families traveling to China to adopt. The main hotel there for adopting families has been closed so the tiny rooms can be enlarged, which is why we are at the Garden.

While we played on the playground, we saw some more aerobic retirees doing their morning group exercises.  Women were line dancing, men were playing on high bars, and I saw an older lady playing on a set of monkey bars. It seems like a healthy, social thing to do. One set of sixty-somethings were playing hacky-sack with amazing skill. Men retire here at 60 and women at 55, so they have plenty of time to practice.

We also saw a sign for a forced pregnancy test for women living in the district of Shamian Island. They are required to show up and take the test. Our guide was not sure what would happen to them if they were found to be pregnant without a license.

We did a little shopping, and we were most pleased with one like-minded shop that had reasonable, marked prices and contributes some profits to needy children in China. They gave Ruby an extra present, a magnet of her home province.

As for our parenting progress: we convinced Ruby to sit in the stroller so my back could have a break. She is learning that we are fun but inflexible. She's also warming up to her daddy.  She plays wildly with him in the room, and she takes food from him happily. She even held his hand today (after thinking about it briefly). This afternoon she took a nap with him. It wasn't very snugly, but she did let her foot rest on top of him for a while. He needs lots of encouragement. He told me he looks forward to returning to a world where children like him.  I think she already does.

We also heard that the Chinese-Japanese tensions are worse in other cities. We don't see any protests here today, though the protestors did pull down the Japanese flag on our hotel's flag pole (this is because now some Japanese nationalists have landed on that deserted island both countries claim). Elsewhere protestors attacked all the Japanese-made cars they saw.  This island they are fighting over is about 7 blocks by 4 blocks large, and uninhabited.  Our guide is hoping we leave for home before the US government makes any statements about the situation. 

Today is Monday, and we leave the hotel early on Wednesday to begin a long, full day of travel.  We'll see you soon!

Historical Sites of Guangzhou

I love breakfast here! It is so nice to have someone else make all your food every day. This morning I asked to be seated so we could have a view of the lovely garden and koi pond while we ate.

I'm not sure if they feed the koi anything beyond the donuts, bread, and muffins the guests pitch into the water to see the resulting frenzy.  The fish made Ruby giggle!

Later while we strolled around the garden, we heard chanting. It was a small, illegal protest targeting the Japanese consulate which is housed in our hotel's building.  Fourteen Chinese nationals had made their way to a disputed island, and Japan had arrested them. China demanded their immediate release, but it wasn't clear what would happen. Both nations think the island is theirs. Tensions are high, and we were told not to wander outside during the protest.

When we finally saw it from above, in our room, we saw about fifty protestors surrounded by fifty police and about twenty photographers. So it wasn't that big.  The military was running through the hotel lobby, much to the distress of the sedate and proper staff.  This was not a registered protest, but since it was a pro-China, anti-Japan rally, the police were tolerating it and just trying to keep them out of the hotel, which they did.

We left all the hoopla behind and went to see the Six Banyan Temple, an operational Buddhist temple in the city. There was a pretty, tall pagoda. They had several temples with Buddhas of different sizes inside. At one temple, adoptive families had brought their children to be blessed by the monks.  I didn't care to stay to watch, and I took Ruby out of that building, but Jasper said the monk chanted over them and used a tea leaf to sprinkle water over the families.

Ruby refuses to use the very nice stroller the hotel loaned us. She is used to them from her foster center, but she prefers to be carried. By me. You might find me a half inch shorter when I get back to PA.  Carrying a 24 pound child around seems to be compressing my back. It does give us a lot of bond-building contact, though. She also likes to hold my hand tightly if she is walking, which is a great feature in busy places.

Next we went to the Chen Family Museum. This used to be a center shared by an entire village, but the city has swallowed it up. When it was built, it offered space for ancestor worship (sort of like that scene in Mulan, only with hundreds of ancestor tablets), a place to host visitors, and a school where locals could be trained to serve the emperor.  You can see two tiny ancestor tablets on the narrow steps that used to hold all the villagers' "ancestors."

It was partly destroyed during the Cultural Revolution when religious, cultural, and historical artifacts were destroyed.  Now it is owned by the government and used to display local folk arts.

Here we are holding a picture of Traveling Tara from the Clubhouse Jr. Magazine that Pearl colored.  You're supposed to take pictures of her on your travels.  Ruby may look uncomfortable, but she was fine.

We came back to the hotel to cool off and rest, and later we made our way to a nearby TrustMart, a sort of everything store. Jasper stocked up on more peanut milk than I think he can drink in the next 2.25 days before we leave. That's something else he missed from his stay ten years ago.