May 4, 2013: 2:37am, Beijing

May 4, 2013:  2:37am, Beijing

After a fun-filled yet exhausting day, we crashed around 8pm, so now we’re paying the price!  Wide-awake at 2:37am, Eric is attempting to sleep, and I have decided this is as good a time as any to update my journal/blog.  Yesterday was incredible.  First we went on a tour of the jade factory; something my dad would have absolutely loved.  It was incredible to witness the artistry that goes into each piece.  Learning about the different qualities of jade, how it’s carved, and seeing the finished pieces was a humbling experience.  So, so beautiful.  Next up:  The Great Wall!  As our van pulled up to the entrance, the whole group let out an audible sigh.  It is a truly magnificent place.  We were all surprised at the sheer magnitude.  From photographs, it’s difficult to tell just how large the Great Wall truly is.  We walked the “easy” side…um…easy?  Hardly.  The steps varied from tiny little steps to over twelve inches wide, so not very easy for short people such as myself!  And there are oh soooo many of them! And of course, Eric and I forgot water.  Good jobs, Gould’s. Not one of our finer moments.  But we made it!  Luckily at the top there were vendors selling bottled water, coke products and souvenirs.  Water and cola has never tasted so good! What a beautiful place.  It’s funny though, there is a huge, busy road that runs underneath, making it less than serene…hearing traffic the entire time you are walking the Great Wall was definitely an odd experience. 

After surviving the Great Wall, we went on a quick tour of Cloisonne, ate a delicious family style meal as a group, shopped a little, then made the trek to Olympic Stadium, which I can tell you is one of the most impressive places we have ever seen.  Beijing went ALL out for the 2008 Olympics, and now it’s a huge park and tourist location.  And what a tourist pit it is!  There were people on every side of us shoving mini kites, postcards; you name it at us, trying to get us to buy things.  But we didn’t care…the stadium is absolutely breathtaking, and an incredible thing to see.  On the way back to the van as we were passing street vendors serving everything from friend tofu to pineapple pops, we smelled the most foul smell in the air.  One of the girls from our group asked our guide what it was, and he said it was a type of cheese!  Now we all understand the term “stinky cheese!” Wow…it was severe.

 

After going to Olympic park, weary, yet inspired, we traveled back to the hotel.  Eric and I decided to venture out for dinner.  We went to the Pizza Hut down the street, but let me tell you, this is not your ordinary Pizza Hut. In addition to pizza and pasta, they had a full dinner menu including several rice and noodle dishes.  It was very impressive. We thought we would order the most basic thing on the menu since our server did not speak English, and the language barrier was definitely going to be a challenge for all involved.  As she pointed, we nodded “yes” or “no,” made hand gestures, and all of us smiled and laughed.  We pointed to a large pepperoni pizza and smiled.  She turned the page and pointed to a mushroom, Canadian bacon, tomato pizza, smiled and wrote something down.  We shook our heads “no,” then turned the page again and pointed to the pepperoni pizza, she smiled, wrote something down.  Then turned the page back to a bacon wrapped shrimp pizza with a stuffed crust.  We smiled, shook our heads “no” again, and then pointed once again to the pepperoni.  She smiled, and then showed me what she wrote on the ticket to confirm our order, which of course made me laugh since the entire thing as written in Chinese characters.  I looked at the ticket, smiled, looked back at her, shook my head “yes,” then said “Xiexie” (which means “thank you”).  When our order came, it was the mushroom pizza, of course.  Well…at least we tried!   We both laughed, and I spent the remainder of the meal picking the mushrooms off the pizza so my husband, who for those of you doesn’t know, can’t stand mushrooms!  The entire experience was truly a comedy act, and one we will be laughing about for years. 

We can’t believe that in just 2 days we will have our little tiger in our arms!  What a mind trip, truly.  On one hand it feels as though we are all just on a tour of China…it’s amazing to think how much all of our lives are about to change!  In a few hours, we will have another action pack tourism day, then we all part ways for a few days.  On Sunday, three of the families will be traveling to their child’s province, meeting their children, then traveling to meet up with us in Guangzhou.  Eric and I, plus one other couple sort of have it easy.  On Sunday, we will fly down directly to Guangzhou since both of our daughter’s provinces are driving distance from Guangzhou (where we all finalize).  Then, Monday, May 6, we will finally hold our daughter.  Amazing.  It’s going to be so much fun to meet up with everyone again, children in tow!  We can’t wait!

Okay, I guess I better try and get more sleep