water water everywhere, water water in the hotel

Woke up this morning after a very good nights sleep, which is rare when you are sleeping on a box spring, to look out our 14th floor window to discover that Shamian Island was flooded. Some areas were knee deep in water. Our hotel lobby was flooded as well to an extent. They had sand bagged the north doors 3 foot high where the hotel was lowest then had to shopvac out water. Although by the time we made it down for breakfast it was business as usual. The hotel restaurant has a river view and the river was up to the window. The beautiful chrystal blue pool is not a pukey river green.The water is receding quickly though. All this flooding has not stopped the locals from getting out and about by foot, bicycle, or car. Even some of the shops are open with water lapping up to their entrances. We believe that we should have not problem getting to our Consulate appointment to get Rebekah's Passport and Visa as well as take the oath that we will lover and care for her. There is an elevated road to and from the White Swan Hotel from the main land. We have not heard if any flights have been delayed yet but we still have a day before we leave. Hopefully by then the storm will have passed and we will be on our way. I would rather be delayed in the hotel than at the airport.

We prepared for just something like this yesterday. I went to the deli and bought sodas, water, peanut butter, bread, and snacks just in case we were stuck in the hotel. Madeline is happy with her dvd player and the Ariel Beginnings video we bought for her before the trip is almost worn out. She has watched it umpteen times. There is a play room on the 1st floor where it did not flood so we will go down there to get our energy out. I still have a few things that I ordered that I need to pick up later tonight and hope the water is all gone by later this afternoon becasue I am not going to wade out in the water because I do not know how polluted it is.

We cannot wait to see ya'll soon. Our total flight time to Mineapolis is going to be about 17 hours with a hour and a half layover in Tokyo. So by the time we get in to Mineapolis we should be wiped out. More to come soon.

HAGUPIT!!

Typhoon Hagupit that is. Hagupit is passing to the south of Guangzhou and we are expected to get winds and lots of rain. We have had some pretty good down pours but only intermitten so far. They believe that the more significant rainfall will begin tonight after midnight and continue into tomorrow. So we have got most all of our shopping done and only have to pick a few things up tomorrow. We have already packed...nothing like being anxious to come home, packing 2 days before we leave eh?

Pray we are not delayed

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.

faces

whistle while you pee

An odd title for a blog post but pretty sutible considering that Rebekah will go pee if you whistle for her while holding her over the toilet. Pretty amazing if you ask me. We have learned that that is how they begin to teach their children at a very early age and that they become so acustom to the ritual that they will eventually only pee when they hear an airy whistle. No, unfortunately, it does not work with poo.