(Thursday, November 26)

Before I forget, yes Blogger is still blocked in China. However Kev being Kevin (Mr. techno) has found a way for us to be able to still have access.

I am sorry that I didn't have the energy last night to write about our day. I like to do so while it is all still so fresh in my mind. With the air quality (or lack of) here we all have sore throats and heavy chests each day. While walking in the city, it is best to wear a mask. I haven't really... And last night I was just feeling extra tired. Today is the same way I feel like I am fighting something. So far, I have stayed in today in an attempt to let my throat heal up before our flight tomorrow. No fever or anything serious thankfully. So, this morning (Friday) Hannah and I had the pleasure of doing some playing while Kev went for some more paperwork and to present our gift to civil affairs (which we didn't do while we were there the first time. We asked if we could and were told no, to wait, not today.... so we didn't give it and then later asked when we would and were asked why we hadn't! hehe)

Ok, so yesterday.... Thursday.... was a beautiful day. Again we have been blessed with gorgeous weather. Sunny and 21 degrees celcius. After breakfast we walked with the group to have Hannah Faith's visa picture taken. It was a very short 3 minute walk from our hotel. Basically it is an outdoor store and in the back there is a camera and there was a little chair for Hannah to sit in. I sat her in the chair and she didn't fuss whatsoever. She really has been the most easy going little person I have ever met. She sat there and the photographer came forward with a very used comb ( those who know me well know how this set my heart in a lurch! LOL) and Hannah sat patiently while she combed her hair behind her ears and then took 3 snaps. Then she yelled for the next! So we went back out on to the street to wait for our group to be finished.

While we stood outside, we noted many different people and situations. So different from home. With the utmost respect for this beautiful country, some of the differences are naturally amusing (for lack of a better word). I also see so many things that physically make my heart hurt. While waiting, we saw two little twin girls with 2 adults who looked like their grandparents. They were standing around and enjoying smiling at us. We saw 3 separate puppies running on the sidewalks. I was beyond worried that they were going to run into what seems like the worlds busiest street. A street I might add that is filled with honking! And cars going each and every way. Weaving in and out of their lanes. Pulling U turns in the middle causing mayhem! Traffic that you need to eventually just cut into while walking and hope your feet make the safety of the other side! Needless to say, worrying about the puppies was quite natural. Also, we saw two cats sitting in the store front. One where a little girl about 10 seemed to be working with her mother. And the other was next store to that. All of the store fronts are open. Probably closed by metal screen at night? Anyway, these two cats really looked so different from our cats in Canada. They were the thinnest poor little guys. They didn't look necessarily unhappy, but just the same, thin and filthy as can be. They reminded me of giant rats in a way. Anyway, a lady turned on some water on the side of the store. The kind we have outside that we hook a hose on. If Kev wasn't doing paperwork, I would ask him for the name! LOL This lady rinsed out dirtied little pants and then dumped the water out of the bowl and filled it with grapes. The grapes were then put on display to buy in her store. The health board would be all over that at home!

After the pic and lunch and Hannah's nap we met downstairs at 2pm and set out in our group's bus for an afternoon excursion. We first drove to the Youmin Temple which was maybe a 20 minute drive from our hotel. Again the traffic and driving is pure and utter chaos! We arrived and strapped Hannah into her carrier (thank you Wanda! It is heavenly!) and we walked through outside courtyards and then a garden. There were two tombs. Two brothers. Sadly, I missed most of the story (in french, my mind wandered and then I was lost. Kev was daydreaming and couldn't fill me in either! LOL ) I believe it was built for or by a man who believed that he had the pill of immortality. I will research this more later. It was lovely to walk through just the same. Hannah loved every minute of it in her sling eating her cookies!!!! We also saw two brides and grooms having their wedding pictures taken. Our guide explained that they are wearing the white dresses only for this picture opportunity and that they would marry at a later date and wear the traditional red dresses.

After this, we drove to what is known as the best porcelain store in China. Since Jiangxi (Hannah's birthplace) is famous for it's porcelain, we (me slightly more!) thought that it was important to have a keepsake for her for the future. We bought a set of fine porcelain vases and then another single vase which caught my eye the minute I first walked in. We originally bought the set and then standing outside decided to go back in to inquire about the other vase and bought it too!

We got back to our hotel about 5:30 and met with the group at 6:30pm to walk to a restaurant close to our hotel for an authentic Nanchang meal. I confess, I was a little apprehensive in ways. First off, because I have a super sensitive system that is often a problem at home! And secondly, because I wanted to recognize what I was eating! Anyway, we arrived and the doormen opened the door for us. We walked up the stairwell and there were about 6 women (all gorgeous looking) greeting us and then one walked us through the restaurant. The restaurant was huge and had many glassed in private rooms. We passed a room which held many aquariums which I would prefer not to think about. We also passed a turtle pond. Again, happy thoughts! The atmosphere was one of prestige yet was sharply contrasted with yelling staff. Everyone working there was yelling loudly and running! I joked with Kev that this was a very relaxing work atmosphere! We were escorted to one of these private rooms. There was a huge round glass top table in the middle and some couches on the side. We took our seat and I ended up having Hannah-busy-hands on my knee as the highchair didn't have sides or a table or tie-straps. So, on my knee she was. Our guide ordered what she thought we could tolerate (no seafood etc...). The dishes kept coming and coming. We had a feast! I tried everything but what I thought was chicken (it ended up being duck). The man sitting beside Kev who was eating it crunched down on something and then realised it was a beak! Somehow I didn't want to try that then! I ate eggplant, sweet potato, pork, many vegetables I have never even seen before, rice dishes etc.... And for desert pumpkin filled warm dough. I wish I new the names of everything. I am not kidding, we must have had 15 dishes coming to the table. And our own servers in our own private room. It was a feast beyond all feasts! And we ate and were served like royalty. The other night we shared about 5 dishes at a traditional Chinese restaurant (in our hotel) and it cost about 40$ Last night it cost 10$ total! We thought there was a mistake!!!!!!!! The only mistake was not eating there earlier! It was astonishing! What a wonderful experience. Hannah adored everything she ate and they brought this fluffy egg dish for the children especially which she devoured! I am so happy we had the opportunity to have some tastes of Nanchang.

We came home and Hannah had her bath and refused her bottle again. She had fought my attempts to give it to her at lunch too. She is so easy going that when she fights, it is really unusual. I thought perhaps that she was just overly tired at naptime or perhaps her mouth was sore. But when she fought me again at bedtime I was concerned that she suddenly didn't like her formula? Didn't add up. So, I transferred it to a little cup with a lid that we had packed. Well, that is all she wanted! She drank every sip! Poor little sweet pea! She was instantly content! And went to bed and had a glorious sleep straight through until 7:30 Am (right on schedule according to her reports).

There you have our beautiful Thursday in Nanchang adventure!

Now here I am (Friday, November 27th) , during Hannah's nap and Kevin is doing some more faxing.

At 3 pm we are going to our guide's room to pick up the silk outfit and bracelet we had ordered for Hannah.

This morning when we went downstairs for breakfast, we entered the lobby that had been transformed overnight to a Christmas wonderland! Garland, trees, lights are all over the hotel. There is even a giant gingerbread house in the lobby and also in the restaurant which is also beautifully decorated. It is astonishing that they accomplished all of this in one night! It really is gorgeous! For the Americans, last night they had a traditional Thanksgiving meal in the hotel restaurant. I thought that that was very thoughtful.

After the paperwork this morning, Kevin came home to the hotel and then went back out while I fed Hannah in our room and gave her her formula. He went to buy us some KFC for lunch. I have been too worried about eating it this week but everyone else has and the haven't been ill. So, here goes!

While on his walk to bring lunch he saw a little boy. Let me interrupt myself here! Yesterday on our way to the porcelain store, I noted a little boy who really tore at my heart. He was on the sidewalk, with just some shorts on and he was on a board with small wheels as the bottom. He was lying on his stomach on this board begging for money. He was all alone. His feet were badly deformed. I so wish that we could have helped him in some way. But we were on this bus. I thought of him often last night and again this morning.... Anyway, while Kevin was out, he saw another little boy chest down on the same type of board and his legs looked crippled. Kevin didn't have change on him and it really bothered him. On his way back from KFC (two meals cost 45 yuan- approx. 8 Can. Putting last night's meal into perspective) the little boy was with who looked to be his mother. They were sharing a pear. Kevin slipped her 50 yuan. He said that she took it and VERY quickly put it away. She didn't really respond, not that he was waiting for that, it just struck Kevin that she was fearful it would have been seen. He quickly walked on and then looked back to see her telling her little boy something. It is nice to think that they may have something more than a pear.

This is our last night in Nanchang. We have tried very hard to soak in everything and everyone that we could have while we are here. This is a very special place to us. This is where our Hannah comes from and we will always hold it close in our hearts. We were given our daughter from here and we will never take that fore granted. What an incredible, indescribable gift....

Much love from Nanchang (quite possibly our last post from this beautiful place) as we leave for the airport at 8:30 AM....