Guangzhou - Day 2

Today was a fairly busy fun day.  We started off with a little shopping, just up and down the main corridor that the hotel lies on.   It’s a very busy street, pedestrian wise, and construction wise.  These are the modern shops, selling clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc.  Sales people try and entice you into the stores as you walk by, and follow you when you enter their shop, which is a little annoying.  One asked me if Hope was my baby.  We bought a couple of things, nothing too exciting.  I prefer the older areas, where they sell the “unusual” stuff, but we didn’t venture there today.

In the afternoon, our guide escorted us to a Buddhist temple.   The predominant religion in China is Buddhism.  We toured the grounds.  Hope spent most of the time walking around, picking up every leaf that she saw on the ground.  I spent most of the time trying to prevent her from eating them.  She also loves to go up and down stairs, over and over again, which requires me to hold her hand to prevent her from falling.  I don’t really mind, though.  Just wish it wasn’t so darn hot.  Not as hot as Wuchang, but hot enough that I was sweating up a storm.

A monk performed a blessing for Hope.  We knelt in front of three giant, copper Buddha statues, as the monk chanted and banged on some sort of wooden instrument.  It was very interesting.  I had no idea what he was saying, of course, but the gist of the blessing was for long life, happiness, etc. - all the good stuff.  Hopefully, these guys have a little pull with whoever makes those decisions.

After the temple, we drove down to the river for a river cruise.  We were on the “VIP” deck, which meant a/c and a buffet.  The food wasn’t that great, though, and unfortunately, it rained for a good portion of the cruise, but we did get maybe a half hour window without rain, and were able to go out on deck and take pictures.  You get a great view of the city from the river, and all of the buildings are lit up with a variety of colors.  Hope had a good time, walking around, and bouncing and waving her arms when music was playing.  She blew kisses to everyone when we were getting off the boat.  She’s a very happy baby, for the most part, very friendly, and seems to be very comfortable with us now, although she still prefers me when she needs comforting.  Now the bad - She drools like crazy!  I think it's because some teeth are coming in.  I'm surprised the furniture in the hotel room isn't floating.  We bought a couple of bibs for her, and we keep them on her most of the time, so they will be featured prominently in all of her photographs for the time being.

Tomorrow is a free day for us, but our guide goes to the U.S. Consulate for us to apply for a U.S. visa for Hope, so it's actually a very important day.  We'll probably do some more shopping.  Until then…

One of the interesting alley ways

At the Buddhist temple

This is where the monk performed the blessing for Hope

Hope has one of her leaves.  The Buddhas in the background are made of copper.

Guangzhou, from the river

Getting ready for dinner.  The bib is actually for drool - She's a drool machine.

Mom and Hope on deck

The city at night.