Beijing - Day 1 with our Adoption Tour Group

Today we met up with our adoption tour group from CCAI and WACAP (one family from this agency is traveling with us in Beijing and using the same travel agency).  We are a total of six familes adopting from Henan.  Seems like everyone is very nice and it was fun to get to know them.  I think we will be a pretty close knit group as the next 2 weeks unfold.

We left the hotel at 8:30 AM and headed for the Hotong tour.  This tour involved a rickshaw ride through the older part of Beijing.  Each carriage had a couple with a Chinese gentleman pedaling us on his bicycle.  I don't understand Chinese, but the other drivers appeared to give our driver a hard time since he had to pedal me (all 6'4" of me) and Robin around.  He was such a small guy and really had to work hard!  We felt sorry for him!!!  He had his pant legs rolled up and had worked up quite a sweat!  We also stopped at a home in the Hotong.  We met Mr. Hou and visited his house and saw what they were like.

Sitting on the Step of Mr. Hou's home

Robin with our "Driver" After the Ride

Next we headed to the silk factory for a tour.  It was quite interesting to see how they make silk products.  They tried to pedal silk comforters, rugs, clothing, and other items made of silk.  We bought a few gifts and Robin found a beautiful scarf - everyone knows how she loves scarves!

We then headed to lunch at a local Chinese restaurant.  George ordered for us and the food was fantastic!  I guess when you guide so many Americans around, you figure out what foods they prefer!  We had a great time around the table talking with the other adoptive parents and getting to know each family a little better.

Lunch with Other Adoptive Families

After lunch we headed to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.  We walked and walked and walked.........  It was so hot and muggy (see the pictures) !!!  I think we went through a couple of water bottles each!  We had a great time wandering around the sights and getting pictures.  Our guide George is wonderful!  Here are a few pictures:

Xi'an/Beijing - Day 3

Sorry for the late post, but got into Beijing late and by the time we got to the hotel is was too late to write a post.  CCAI also had us up early and we headed out for tours in Beijing.  I'll try to get things caught up this evening.

On Thursday morning, Tom picked us up from the hotel and took us to the Xi'an city wall.  It is a very interesting place to visit.  The orignal wall surrounded the interior of the city and ran for approximately 8 miles.  It also had a moat around the exterior of the wall.  Today the wall is much smaller, but still very impressive - I think there is about 3 miles still standing.  We spent a little time and climbed up to the top of the wall.  If you want, you could rent a bicycle and ride the city wall, but we didn't.   We had a long train ride ahead and decided bike - heat - train ride just did not go together.  Running a long the wall is a very nice walkway where familes and older folks exercise.  We had to try out a few of the pieces of equipment.  It was quite fun, and we got a chance to be with a few Chinese folks - we were quite the sight and turned a few heads.  Here a few pictures of the wall and walkway:

Gate to City

Up the Stairs - 77 total steps

Our Guide Tom!

After the wall, we headed to the train station to catch the high speed train to Beijing.  It was located outside of the city and had just opened in the last year in preparation for the Bullet Trains being developed in China.  The train wasn't a bullet train, but a high speed train.  At one point, we were going ~ 150 miles per hour - most of the time ~ 100 miles per hour.  The trains were very clean and you felt like you were on an airplane (that style of seating).  It was interesting that we went to Zhengzhou enroute to Beijing.  This is the city where we will get Maddie on Monday.  At Zhengzhou, everyone had to stand up and turn the seats around.  You pushed a button and spun the seat!  We started at the front of the cabin, but ended up at the back for the remaining trip to Beijing.

We arrived in Beijing around 9:45 PM.  We got off the train and were supposed to meet our Guide George.  However, the display in the train station had the wrong gate listed for our train!  George was at another exit.  We looked like lost puppy dogs and wandered around for a little while figuring George would find us "white" folks among all the asian faces!  We ran into another tour guide who was leading some Germans.  He spoke English as well and we were able to get him to call George our guide on the cell phone - I had been given George's number from Michelle on Monday (Thank goodness!!!!).  George quickly came to our rescue and we safely made it to the hotel.  We got into our rooms around 11:30 PM.

On another note, our luggage had arrived and was at the hotel!!  We now have everything.

Here's a few pictures of the train ride:

Xi'an - Day 2

WOW!  What a day....  Who would think you could see the "8th Wonder" of the world in Xi'an, China - but we did.  Today we visited the Terra-Cotta Warriers outside of Xi'an.  Our guide Tom and driver picked us up at 9:00 AM this morning and we headed to the site of the Terra-Cotta Warriors.  On the way, we stopped at the government run factory that made reproductions of the warriors.  It was a very interesting visit to see how the warriors were and are made today.  Robin and I had fun with the life size statues that you can put you head in and take a picture.  Robin is in one of the generals, and of course, I got behind the "Emperor"!  Here are a few pictures:

"General Robin"

Emperor Dave

Guide discussing how Terra-Cotta Warriors are made

1/4 Size Terracotta Warriors being made & casts

After the visit to the factory, we drove out to the Terra-Cotta Warrior site.  We were a bit hungry, so our guide Tom suggested we go to one of the villager's homes that serve lunch by the Terra-Cotta Warrior site.  We weren't disappointed!  Once again Tom picked a great place!!!!  The food was fantastic and the atmosphere extradinary!  Sure beats eating at KFC.



Another GREAT Chinese Meal



Our Family with the "Chef"

After lunch, we drove to the site of the Terra-Cotta Warriors.  There are 3 pits that you can visit to see the warriors.  We stopped into the gift shop since Tom thought the gentleman that found the Terra Cotta Warriors may be there signing books.  We were able to get him to sign a book for Robin's mother and got our picture taken as well.


Farmer who Found the Warriors - 81 yrs old



Pit 1 Building



First glimpse of Warriors



We headed back to town to rest before dinner and the Tang Dynasty show.  On the way, Robin found this and had to get a picture.  She felt sorry for me since I hadn't been to Home Depot in over a week!!!!  Thank goodness I don't have any "Honey Do's" in China!

We headed back to Xi'an and after a break at the hotel, our guide Tom pick up Robin and myself.  We walked back to the Muslim Quarters for dinner.  He found this little dinner place and it was great.  We ate like kings for about $8.  We have come to really appreciate Tom.  He is so knowledgeable about the area and always has "contacts" that it has made our life really easy and enjoyable.

Cooking our Dinner

Our Guide Tom Eating with Us



The Owner of the Restaurant



 After dinner, we walked back to the hotel to pick up Robin's folks for the Tang Dynasty show.  We really enjoyed the show.  The costumes and quality of the program was outstanding!  If you ever get to Xi'an, we'd recommend this show.



What a day!!!!  We accomplished a lot, but we had a great time doing it!  Tomorrow we visit the Xi'an City Wall and then head to the train station to catch a bullet train back to Beijing to meet up with our Adoption Travel Group.  It's hard to believe that we'll be getting Maddie in a little over 4 days!

Xi'an - Day 1

Our guide Tom picked us up at the train station.  I don't know what we would do without these wonderful guides supplied by Sun Travel USA (Michelle and now Tom).  If you are planning on coming to China, look up Sun Travel USA and talk with Sophie!  Come to find out, they are the guides that our adoption agency uses to arrange their tours in China for us adoptive parents!  If the guides for CCAI are anything like we have experienced so far, we will be in good hands!!!

Tom took us to the Ramada Inn Bell Tower Hotel.  The rooms were just recently re-done and are very nice.  We were able to check in about 10:00 AM this morning and get a shower and some lunch before Tom picked us up to tour Xi'an.  We visited the Provincial Museum, the Wild Goose Pagoda, the Muslim Market and ended the day eating dumplings at a great restaurant recommended by Tom.

Here are a few pictures of the day:

Provincial Museum

Wild Goose Pagoda



Large Budda at Wild Goose Padoda



Muslim Market

Muslim Market

Muslim Market

Dumplin Exhibit at Front of Restaurant

 

DUMPLINS!