January 25, 2015

Monday morning found us in a new hotel, a spacious room, great morning buffet, but far from our sticky rice.  It was nice being in a bigger/ nicer hotel we had seem more american faces in the last 24 hours than we had the past 10 days.  However, the hotel was too big and we felt we lost some of our family.  So many floors, and so many people we felt a big disconnected. 

Nian was still trying new foods, and we had a big day planned for us.   Today we met the group around 930am and headed on a city tour of the Buddhist Temple and Old Chen House. Again, more history that Joe and I wish we could have had more time to explore.  We did run into a few couples from Gotcha day including the one dad I made cry when we met Nian.  And I got a really dirty look from this lady when I was changing Nian in the ladies room. Weird.. I'm not sure if she didn't like that I was changing him or if she was wondering what I was doing with a Chinese boy.  While here we got a Dragon scroll and put Nian's name on it. He is such a Dragon! 

We also made a stop at a Provincial Arts & Crafts shopping center which was basically a large store that had various items for sale.  Everything from Tea sets to silk outfits. I knew everything would be cheaper on Shaman Island so we didn't get anything except 1 silk outfit because they about doing group pictures the following day. We had fun looking around the local store across the street. How different things are when your half way around the world. We have many conveniences here in America and much of our normal is high end for them. I can't imagine having to go to the store/market every few days for food, but they don't have the large fridges we have here. Even though most of us wouldn't consider them "large".   And you can't imagine not being able to drink from the faucet you just turned on. Milk... now there's another thing we think when it gets over $2 a gallon that's alot, but a little pint size was running about $5. They do eat more fresh food and less processed.  That's one thing I wish I had turned into a habit while we were there.  It's too easy to get back into the "junk food" habit when it's so easily available. 

We headed out for lunch after we got back to the hotel but I have no idea where exactly we went lol.  We had a 4pm group meeting to go over Nian and the kid's Visa paperwork. Then we headed back to the lobby at 5pm for a quick walk to the group dinner a few blocks away.  That was some good food.  Nian wasn't much for sitting at the table waiting for our food so we joined Gabriel and Elvin at the front of the restaurant to check out the huge fish swimming around.  The food here is SO good and NOTHING like what you get at an american Chinese restaurant.  We headed back to the hotel, and went up to the exec lounge for happy hour and dessert. Then back to the room to relax. Tomorrow would be another busy day of going to get the Visa photo's and medical check, along with the Pearl River Cruise. 

Not sure what this look is all about, Like father like son!

Someone is done for the day.

GAME ON

Little local store they also had stacks of eggs outside.

Those pictures were done with the side of his hand. 

Still a little grumpy.

Back side of the TV in our room.

Walking back to our hotel. Joe and water = tons of pics!