Another Relaxed Day...

Our morning started off slow and easy today. We didn’t have any plans for this morning. We got up and headed to breakfast. There was a table available outside today, so we got to eat our breakfast outside. We discovered that MeiMei likes watermelon at least as much as Lydia. There was really good watermelon here in Guangzhou. Since it’s a warm weather climate, it must grow all year long. It was sweet and juicy and MeiMei ate a bunch of it! Watch out, Taylors, you might have to buy 2 watermelons when we have dinner together next summer!!!

Since we were outside for breakfast, the girls were watching the fish in the pool. It comes right up next to the patio where we had breakfast. There were signs saying that the fish were on a diet (😊), so we didn’t let the girls give them bread. I’m pretty sure that the diet the fish are on is whatever food anyone will feed them!

We headed back to our room, but the maid was cleaning still so we headed to the outdoor playground. I was going to take pictures, but MeiMei decided that she wanted to take pictures of us. You can tell that she has been posed before. She was arranging us on the play structure and was taking TONS of pictures. It was pretty funny the way she was jabbering and getting “mad” at Lydia for not following her directions.

When we got back to the room, we FaceTimed some of the cousins and then headed out for lunch. We decided to go to the Noodle Restaurant for lunch. I had my favorite broccoli and Lydia had noodles. Both the girls wanted dumplings, but when we got them, neither of the girls liked them. Brian and I thought they were good.

One thing that is different with restaurants in China is that you can, and sometimes are expected to bring drinks with you. We had stopped and got a bubble tea and Lydia and Brian got Pepsi. It was so sad for Brian to discover that Mountain Dew didn’t make it in China. They had it when we were here adopting Lydia, but not now. ☹ Anyway, getting drinks with caffeine was a mistake. We brought the girls home to take a nap, which they both desperately needed. MeiMei went to the bathroom about 7 times in an hour and neither of the girls fell asleep.

Our guide was meeting us to take us shopping at 2pm, so we didn’t have time to get them to sleep. We had her take us to the pearl and jade market. It is a giant mall that is full of shops (more like kiosks) selling pearls, jade, and other precious stones. We got some pearls and jade and I got a garnet bracelet. It is crazy how inexpensive everything is. It’s kind of interesting the way they sell pearls. They have different grades of pearls. They have them strung on a string and you buy a whole string. Then you tell them if you want them as a bracelet, a necklace, etc. They string them on a new string and tie off each bead. MeiMei was mesmerized with the ladies that were tying pearls.

After our purchases of fine jewelry, we headed to Shaimian Island. This is an island in the pearl river in Guangzhou that is special to adoptive families. It used to be the location of both the medical exam office and the consulate of the United States. Adoptive families would come to Guangzhou and never left the island. There are American restaurants there, shops that sell souvenirs, and a hotel called the White Swan. When the consulate was there, everyone that adopted stayed at the White Swan. It is a 5 Star hotel and it catered to the families who stayed there in the “hay day” of Chinese adoptions. Our guide showed us around the hotel and took pictures of us in some of the picturesque locations. One thing that was a tradition at this hotel was to take pictures of newly adopted children on their red couch. If you ask anyone who adopted a child from China during the White Swan era, they most likely have a picture of their child on the famous red couch. Well, the hotel, knowing the importance of the red couch, kept one and put it in one of the lobbies. Our guide took us to the red couch so we could take pictures there. 😊

After the White Swan, we went to a shop and got a few things for the girls…dresses, shoes, and some other special things for MeiMei. While I was picking things out, MeiMei was walking around the shop picking things out for herself. There were tons of little toys she kept picking out. The lady that ran the shop thought she was so cute and so good that she gave her a bubble wand. She was pretty happy about that. We decided to head back to the hotel so that we could have an early bedtime.

Brian decided that McDonald’s sounded good for supper, so off to McDonald’s we went. It had been sprinkling all day, but when we went out for supper, it had started to rain pretty hard. Of course, we didn’t bring our umbrella, but we didn’t want to go back to get it, so we headed off in the rain. We had some great American fast food. MeiMei loves French fries, and apparently, ketchup. She eats her fries with ketchup, and she also tried dipping her apples in the ketchup too.

On the way home, it was still raining. MeiMei LOVED the rain. She kept laughing and looking up at the sky. Inner Mongolia is very dry, so it probably rained very rarely there. Also, living in an orphanage, she probably had never been outside in the rain. She was totally enjoying the experience.

We got back and got the girls ready for bed and tried to get them settled into bed. Lydia wanted to fall asleep in our bed, since the beds are so small, but MeiMei would hear nothing of the sort. She kept pointing to the spot next to her in bed and saying, “Jie Jie” (big sister). Lydia had to sleep next to her!

I got chilled in the rain, so I decided to take a hot bath in our huge bathtub and watch the tv in the bathroom. Yes, this hotel room is crazy big! Brian said it’s a good thing we aren’t staying here any longer or we might not be able to go back to our normal size bathroom. It’s almost 9pm, but I think I’m ready for bed. We have to get up early tomorrow because our appointment at the US consulate is at 8:30am. We might just have granola bars for breakfast. I’m not sure I want to wake up at 5am!

Wishing she could feed the fish. She kept telling me to go inside and get some bread.

This girl has no fear

Some of MeiMei's artistic photography!!!

She did not approve of the selfie!

Brian's face is hilarious...I don't think he was in as much discomfort as it looks like!

One of the famous Shaimian Island poses

In the White Swan

Lydia's official red couch picture

MeiMei's official red couch picture

Yummy McDonald's!!!