What a day!

This morning I woke up at 4:30 a.m., and Theresa was up around 5 a.m. After breakfast we gathered with the rest of the group, and got on the bus to go to the Great Wall. On the way we stopped at a jade factory. There we took a tour explaining the different types of jade, and the way to tell quality as well as real verses fake jade apart. It was very interesting. Not being a jade expert I don't really know how much it costs in the U.S. It seemed fairly expensive to me so it must be worth much more in the States than I realize. After doing a little shopping we left to go to lunch. I have to say that we (especially me) have been very adventurous when it comes to trying out the different unknown chinese dishes here. Our guide typically orders about 8-10 different dishes for five people. This is a huge amount of food to get onto each table (five people at each table). A few of the dishes we do not care for, but many that we have never tried in our lives are quite good! And, no one has gotten sick so that is also good. After lunch we went on to the Great Wall. It was about 93 degrees today, and very, very humid. So bad that our native guide was also having a hard time dealing with the heat. She said that when families come to adopt in the month of August that they just stay in the hotels. It can get up to 105 degrees in August, and it is just to hot to take them out anywhere. Anyhow, at the Great Wall we of course took a lot of pictures, video, bought Theresa a hat to shade her, a folding fan, a t-shirt for me, and probably something else (I can't remember) -- oh, water. We went up part of the Great Wall, and there were so many people that it was very crowded. Some of our group went about halfway up the Great Wall, but came right back because it was to crowded, the way got very narrow, the people in front of them for several rows were just stopped, and small children were wheezing in the hot weather. It was a beautiful place, a neat place to be, and wonderful scenery all around us. All I can say is "I've Climbed the Great Wall!" We left after two hours there, and went to a Friendship Store that sold Cloisonne' vases, jewelry, and assorted items. We took another tour there to see how they make it, and it is very painstaking work. While we were going through the factory tour one of the ceiling fans shorted out, and blew scaring some of the women workers. Especially, one lady who was working right under it! From there we went to see a Beijing acrobatic show. It was fantastic! They were very good. After the show we went out to supper, and ate some more strange, but good food. I knew before we left for the trip that this was going to happen, but it is still strange when the peking duck comes on the plate with the whole head, and the fish comes with the head and the tail still attached!!

Now, after all that touristy stuff let me tell you what is happening with our adoption. Tomorrow (Sunday) we are going to Tianamen Square, to the Forbidden City, and then flying from Beijing to Nanchang. It is in Nanchang where we will pick up our daughter, Jade. The orphanage Director and staff will meet our group out in the hallway of the hotel, and give us the babies at 6:30 p.m. It is at this time that we can ask them up to 100 questions. They will also give us one packet of her formula and her cereal. Then in the morning we will see the Director and staff again to register (adopt) her, and complete any necessary paperwork with them. She is then ours!!!! We will then stay in Nanchang until 7/21, and then continue on to Guangzhou until 7/26 when we leave to come home.

That's really all I have to say for today. We are in the midst of packing because we have to put our luggage outside before 7 a.m. tomorrow morning (Sunday). The bellmen will take the luggage to the airport, and when we arrive in Nanchang it will be waiting in our hotel room. Very good service here! We also have to get our adoption finances in order, and copy some of the paperwork for our guide. So, I will say, "zai jian" (zi chin) or "goodbye" for now.

Jeff

P.S. I'll try to upload a few pictures tonight as well.