Sunday in Guangzhou

After showering and unpacking, I went to bed at 1:00 a.m.  As usual, I was up on and off from 3:00 a.m. until 7:30.  Then I dressed and headed downstairs for some much needed breakfast and tea.  I always love eating breakfast in China because they have fried vegetable rice. 

My flight from JFK to Hong Kong, was long and uneventful.  Cathay is a very nice airline, even in Economy.  They have so much entertainment to choose from.  There is a large list of movies, TV shows (remember the 1970's Charlie Angels and Mission Impossible?), documentaries, video games, boardgames, Disney movies and shows...the list goes on.  I watched 3 episodes of "48 Hours Mystery".   Fortunately, I had a window seat, plus the 2 additional seats next to me, so I could lay down and sleep a bit.  The food on Cathay was so much better than United.  My first meal was baked salmon in a cream sauce with broccoli, some chocolate cake and Pepperidge Farms Milano cookies!  My next meal, I confess, I ate every bite.  I was hungry.

We arrived in HK 40 minutes ahead of schedule, but had a 2 hour layover before my 30 minute flight to Guangzhou.  By that time, I was nodding off before take-off.  Once I got to Guangzhou, my luggage was waiting for me without delays.  I must have had "Target" written all over me, as I was pressed on both sides by people wanting to take me to my hotel.  Well, since I was alone, I knew better.  They were wanting 3x as much as a taxi drive would cost me.  I finally had to be extremely firm with them.  They followed me outside of the airport, up and down the sidewalk.  I finally got a taxi, sat back, and enjoyed the cool air on my face (by that time I was sweating...humid here).  Because of all of the construction on Shamian Island, my taxi driver had a hard time finding my hotel.

Watching my screen...almost there!

Heading down into the clouds at Hong Kong.

Today, I walked around the island for a bit.  I feel nice and safe here without Mike.  I'm glad I chose to stay here rather than someplace else.  The island is a mess.  Apparently, they are having the Asian Games here in Guangdong at some point, thus the construction.  Many of the shops we visited before are unrecognizable or have left.

Lots of construction

Bamboo scaffolding

Busy day at the park

Stone sidewalk

My Hotel..The Victory

One thing to note, I never realized how much Mike did for us as a family on our previous adoption trips.  He took care of so much...I just took care of the children.  It was so easy to rest in my husband's protection.  It is just like our relationship with our Savior.  How He wants us to rest in Him...let Him take care of us and any issues/problems that arise!  The money situation scares me.  I always think I'm going to mess up and be taken advantage of.  I sure wish my dear husband was here.

I met another family at the hotel.  Together we went to Carrafour's and bought a few things.  This is a picture of Daniel, 10.  He is a pistol. He wears his pajamas under his pants and refuses to take them off.  He ended up sweating so much at the store that he took off his shirt.  He got plenty of stares.   I got to sit next to him in the taxi.  His dad bought him the movie Ice Age to watch.  I'm sure he is enjoying it as I type this.

Yummy dried octopus, just for Jack...he likes to eat squid.

I just met my guide, Daniel.  I leave to meet Ivy after lunch on Monday.  I happened to ask Daniel the question, "What if she doesn't like me and does not want to be adopted?"  His reply to me was, "I just called the orphanage last week to set up the dates to meet her and they told me she was just delighted when she found out you would be here soon."  Okay, now this makes me a bit nervous.  All of the preparations and waiting and it is about to come to pass and I'm really starting to get scared.