What do you think of when China comes to mind? Bruce Lee or Jackie Chan? A billion people, rice, Communism, Tienanmen Square...
Admittedly I know very little about this complex country. We were in awe of their culture. The contrasts are so poignant. Beauty right alongside deprivation. Often it brought tears to my eyes. There are stories I won't share here, but I have posted some pictures that show a glimpse into our time in China.
Construction vehicle
A very upscale hotel with a hole for good Zen. Architect told developer the hole was needed so that the dragons could fly through. (not kidding!)
Typical street. Shops below & homes above. The average family dwelling in China in a city is 250sf. This often includes grandparents.
Hong Kong skyline
Street Vendor
Funeral procession
A "Junk" (name for a type of boat)
Before adopting Little Sis we had a few days in Hong Kong. We did a lot of touring. The Hong Kong Museum of Art was world class.
In China traffic is crazy. There may be 5 designated lanes of traffic, but cars are crammed all over the road. The buses we rode in would almost touch the cars in front of us when coming to a stop sign. My heart almost stopped the first few times this happened, but then, after we didn't crash, I decided to trust the driver and stop worrying about it.
An old mansion on the way up to Victoria Peak
A man was making these for kids to play with. It had a long, thin reed attached so you could make it hop along beside you as you walk. I know this because Reuben bought one
We purchased some of these lanterns
We went to Walmart in China! It was amazingly crowded. We were told that on opening day, this Walmart had over 100,000 customers. For the sake of comparison, Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom has about 80,000 guests on it's peak days. (Yes I know too much about Disney World).
Reuben went to Little Sister's village. It was 4 hours out of the city so she and I stayed at the hotel & relaxed. This is what the countryside looks like. Very different than the city.
The orphanage gate
I can't post about China without continuing our adoption journey. This paperwork finalized the adoption with the Chinese government. The next step is to travel to Guanzhou to acquire Little Sister's United States immigration.
Chinese symbol for "Family"
Our daughter and Leah were crib mates. They had the same Nanny and spent their first months of life together.
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1 amazing observations:
Wow. I have never really thought that I would want to go to Hong Kong. But after reading this and seeing all the history behind the place, I realize it would be interesting and life changing to go to another country that is so different than the US. I just wouldn't be able to go with Andy. He doesn't like to go into the City so another country? I don't think it will happen anytime soon.
I would love to hear your other stories of what you have seen in your life. Your a seasoned travelor.
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