Shamian Island

I was able to get away by myself this morning to walk around Shamian Island and enjoy the quietness before the hustle and bustle of the shops catering to the families adopting. I walked by the local elementary school and heard all the children reciting their morning lessons and in freindship park across the street was all the older folk doing their morning excersices, tai chi, and dancing. It was a very beautiful sight with the children's voices in the background. The soilders was also out doing their daily drills. All of them were young men. I passed three men who were discussing the days events on the street corner and when I passed by again about an hour later they were still there talking as lively as ever.

The first morning after we got here we went to get Rebekah's visa photo and when we left the shop we were greeted by about 20 2nd graders and their teachers. Their assignment for the day was to find Americans they could practice their English on. It was very fun and the children loved it as well. They asked us question like what is your favorite sport, color, name and they would tell you the same. We also were asked to write our names in their note books. One of the boys was thankful that Kelly spent time talking to him he gave Kelly a fan. Madeline really enjoyed it as well, having other kids speaking English. She has had several people come up to her and start talking to her in Chinese which scared her.

We have enjoyed our stay here in but we are ready to come home to our own beds, bathrooms and Mexican Food. I kinda like the in ground toilets here, nothing to sit on and that is good for a person with a public bathroom phobia, but Madeline is ready for "real" toilets again. As we were heading to the hotel public bathrooms she asked me, "are these squatty toilets?" and when I informed her they were regular toilets she did a little jig, I am not sure if she was happy or just had to go real bad. There is an authentic Italian Resturant here now which was very good. It even had the cranky old Italian owner yelling at the help.

I had intended to upload some pictures for ya'll but for some reason the internet is not letting me right now. I will try to get them up at a later time.