Let’s see where did I leave off....Oh yes, the United Lounge in San Francisco.....
As nice as that was we were on a mission. We needed to get to our baby waiting for us in China. We happily boarded our plane for a 12 hour flight to Beijing. We were glad we sprung for Economy Plus for such a long trip. The flight itself was pretty uneventful. We dozed on and off. Watched a few movies, most notably The Croods, ate a few times and it was touchdown in China.
Coming back to China is always a very emotional experience for me. I am so proud of my America and all it stands for, but China is such an old civilization. And political differences aside, it is a beautiful land. Oh sure, you can pick apart anything, but look deeper and see what is really there. See the people, listen to the cadence of everyday life, watch mom and grandma walking with the son or daughter and it is a beautiful picture. It could be happening anywhere, even in our hometown. But it isn’t happening in my homeland, it is Serenity’s homeland and that makes it all the more special.
I’m watching my daughter closely. I’m looking for clues of how this experience is affecting her. Little Miss is handling it the way she handles everything, with joy and exuberance. She loves China, everything about China! Well, almost everything...on today's tour we faced the Westernized woman's greatest adversary.....The Squatty Potty! My little Princess would have none of that! When confronted, she declared she would hold it! And she did so in a manner that left no waiving in her decision. (Poppy you may be amused to know she announced preference for the outhouse at camp) I, being made of weaker fiber, availed myself of the opportunity to ‘experience China’.
We had a busy day. Breakfast at the hotel buffet with it’s wide assortment of offerings, both Western and Chinese, and then a bus ride to ‘Old’ Beijing. We boarded rickshaws and toured the hutongs. The hutongs are old style neighborhoods.....just google it, It’s hard to describe. Anyway we went to visit Mrs Wu, a 70 something resident of the hutong. She told us something about her life in the hutong. It was humbling and lovely as she served us tea and snacks while she talked about her semi-arranged marriage and raising her 3 children there. She told us that 6 families share the same courtyard AND communal bathroom. Before that I was buying the romanticism of ‘Old Beijing’ and the community spirit it offered. I was even willing to arrange marriages for my kids, but she lost me at community bathroom. At the end Serenity spoke to her in the little Mandarin she knows. And when we left Little Miss declared she WILL learn Mandarin! Mrs Wu said that is the one thing she would like the children that leave China to take with them, their native language. UMMMM,
My Bad. I haven’t tried hard enough. Note to self: find teacher! So we left the hutong and boarded our rickshaws back to our bus.
From the hutongs to the silk factory, and like every factory tour you have ever been on it was very interesting. After the tour we did some shopping and looking around. We didn’t buy anything there. Oh don’t worry, we will stimulate the local economy plenty when the time is right. Once back on the bus George, our guide, took us to a Chinese restaurant for lunch. It was there Serenity encountered the aforementioned bathroom. Serenity was severely grossed out and George said he would take us to a better one. LOL We need to work on George’s definition of better. ‘Nuff said.
Tiannemen Square and the Forbidden City were awe-inspiring beyond what pictures can convey. We were walking on stones laid years before Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
Back to the hotel for a cooling respite and a swim. Serenity made friends with the other little girl in our group that was also born in China and a similiar age. They swam and played while I chatted with her mom and another mom. I think that is my favorite part of an adoption trip, connecting with like minded folks on the same journey.
After the pool we went to the conceirge lounge, but it wasn’t anything we were interested in so we went down stairs to the main lobby and just sat around and chatted some more. Then back to the room for something light to eat. I was asleep by 9 which may explain why I was up at 2:30 and have not been able to go back to sleep. Jet lag is kicking my butt!
And today we go to the Great Wall (pray for me!) and Jade factory, look out local economy you may be getting stimulated!
Enjoy the pictures!
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