Red Sofa Video

Here's a closer look at the red sofa.

"Red Sofa" picture

Tripp here - We've had our "red sofa" picture. Means things are really winding down. Called the "red sofa" picture because for years the tradition was that adopting families stayed at the White Swan hotel, which had a red sofa in the lobby. There was always a picture taken on or in front of the red sofa that was a group shot of all the new family members. Well our picture is in the lobby of the China Hotel, but on slightly less glamorous, but more functional, stairs... FYI there are several brothers and sisters in the picture, who where not adopted this trip. The fact that Avery is in the picture might have given that away to all but me if I was in your shoes looking at the blog. So I thought I'd make that clear. ahhem...

The other picture, as you might have guessed, is the entire group of families we have been with in Guangzhou. Most of whom where also with us in Beijing before we went to Changsha.

view from window

Oops, forgot these. And here's our amazing view...

Buddhist Temple

I can't remember if I sent this, but I got the important picture turned around correctly. The family. So I'm sending it again. I think there were 500 statues in this place. Some folks were walking around paying respect to all of them. I was fun to actually see a functioning temple. You can see they were burning inscents (sp?) and kneeling. Pretty fascinating.

Christmas Card?

Our hotel in Guangzhou has been quite nice. Actually it had us at: soft mattress. Seems most hotels have mattresses that are just a bit softer than sleeping a nice stadium turf. But it is a nice hotel. Here a look from the outside and at a distance. Our view. And a nice Christmas shot. Perhaps the front of a Christmas card?

Dinner out on the Town

We went out to eat as a group a couple nights ago. To a big restaurant. We've done this several times. It is all organized by the guide and adoption agency. Usually pretty tame as far as offering go. This night was similar. BUT, going into the restaurant we got to see just how fresh they made their food, and how locals could pick what they wanted. Snake anyone? Gator? Duck? Turtle? Crustacean? Rabbit? All there for the lookin, buying, and eating.

When we were leaving a catfish jumped out on the floor. The employee just kicked it under the stand. Still flopping around gasping for air. Wild.

Bargain Shopping

We went shopping at this huge Clothing Wholesale Market. It was insane. 6 or 7 floors with 100+ shops a floor I'd say. The bottom floor was the cheapest, best deal floor. Especially if knock offs are OK. The higher up, the more name brands, and less ability to haggle. But still crazy-good deals. But it was overwhelming and it would help to know the industry. We were basically frozen with indecision.

But I've put some shots up that hopefully show how crowded it was (and how low the ceilings were) and how small the shops where. As an aside, we were huge novelties again. All the young women working the shops would oooo and ahhh over Avery and Garnett. Avery made friends VERY quickly.

The last few (or first few) are pictures Avery took of Garnett.