Sunday, December 1, 2013

Day 8 - YueXiu Park and shopping

Today, Sunday 12/1 we went to YueXiu Park and a local mall.  As we entered the park, there is a huge statue with 99 steps leading up to it.  Guangzhou is the city of goats so the statue has several goats and the Chinese believe that the number 99 is lucky and represents longevity, therefore they built exactly 99 steps believing they would have long life if they walk to the top.


The statue of goats.

After we went down the steps on the other side, we came to a section of the park where people were playing hacky sack.  They get into teams and play together.  This is the second park we have been to with hacky sack going on, I guess it's a big thing here.  This park is where the retired go everyday to exercise and have fun with friends.  One team we were watching invited us to join them in a game so we did.  Carter kicked the hacky sack so hard when it came to him, that it flew past our circle of Chinese people and bounced off the top of another older man's head.  It was hilarious and one of the men on our team thought Carter did so well and everyone got a kick out of it.  I wish I had a picture of that moment.  We had the best time with these people!  We then went to a local mall where we could shop the pearl and jade market and some other stores.  Our guide took us into the section where the pearl and jade stores were and said there were 500 stores in this section alone that were all jewelry.  Crazy!  A few pics of the jewelry part of the mall.







They really pack a lot of stores into a small area.  The people working in the stores all bring their children and they just play in the mall all day while the parents work.

As we walk the streets of china and through the stores we constantly hear "Chinese chatter".  We don't understand what anyone is saying and we can't communicate with most people.  It's not scary for me because I have Robert there with me and we figure it out together.  Everything is confusing and it reminds me of how Emma Kate must feel with us when she only hears English and she has nobody to explain in a way she understands.  I can't imagine how scary home will be for her when she no longer has the Chinese chatter which she understands.  

Emma Kate is still doing well and continuing to make progress.  Yesterday while I was carrying her in the ergo, she reached up and started stroking my hair.  It was precious!  She pats me when she is happy as I carry her and it is too sweet.  She also smiles at us a lot more now.  She is loving playing with Carter and laughing with him.  I love watching her personality come out a little more each day.  Here's a pic of Emma Kate with daddy all ready for the big game.  

 

Last night was the first night she wouldn't sleep in her crib so she slept with us.  She woke up a few times crying and she was coughing a lot so I didn't sleep well at all.  She is asleep in her crib now so I'm hoping we can both rest better tonight as we have a busy day tomorrow. Consulate appointment, zoo and then a cruise.  I'm headed to bed.  Good night all!

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