Incredible Hong Kong

Last weekend we took the train to Hong Kong and like many people before us, fell in love. What an interesting, beautiful, vibrant, place! And oh, the food! I can see why many officers go there frequently. We were there for a First and Second Tour (FAST) officers weekend, but we mostly did our own thing and joined the group for dinners.

We arrived on Saturday morning and made our way to the Airbnb apartment we had rented, right in Central. Our first stop was lunch at an American style diner. Then we walked over to the Central-Mid-Levels Escalators, and the IFC Mall. The escalators are the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world, and as you travel up, the street scenes and restaurant options are amazing.




















Later we took a cab to Deep Water Bay Beach for a BBQ. The kids took a dip in the warm water. I was surprised at how close it was - I thought it took hours to drive to the southern part of the island, but it was only 15 minutes.

On Sunday morning, we decided to take the Cable car to the Big Buddha, because it sounded like a fun outing, and it was. We chose the cable car with the clear bottom, and the kids were enthralled! It's a good 20 minute ride over the bay.

Upon arrival, there is a nice (albeit touristy) area where you can have lunch and buy souvenirs. After lunch, we headed over to climb the 268 steps to the Buddha, a major center of Buddhism in Hong Kong. It symbolizes the harmonious relationship between man and nature, people and religion. The kids were impressive and made it easily to the top. We were very proud of them.

(*note: if you do this, buy and print your tickets in advance. The lines were long!)

View from the top of the stairs

That night we took the Rainbow ferry to Lamma Island for a seafood dinner. It was definitely not what I was expecting, but awesome all the same. Then we headed home and fell into bed!

The next morning, we took the Star Ferry with our bags over to the train station. The whole trip (Hong Kong-Guangzhou) took more than four hours door to door. But it was so worth it.

I can't wait to go back.

More Beijing

We only had 48 hours in Beijing, but we managed to see a lot! The family arrived Friday afternoon and headed straight to our apartment in the Caofang area of Beijing. We decided to give Airbnb a try for the first time, and the experience was overall positive. Our apartment was in a large complex where few, if any, Westerners live. So it really felt like a cultural immersion!

After the Great Wall, we napped in the car while driving to the Summer Palace. I wasn't sure we would have enough energy to walk around this sprawling garden retreat, but the kids, of course, have limitless energy, and the parents revived after a cup of coffee. 

We kept walking until we came upon some truly impressive buildings. It didn't appear possible to climb to the top, but we just kept going! The view on this clear day was spectacular. And the details on these buildings and gates! Unbelievable. 

On Sunday, we took the subway to Tiananmen Square and the Palace Museum (Forbidden City). With two young kids, we couldn't really learn much about the history, but it was still cool. 

To keep the kids interested in this huge maze of buildings, we decided to hunt for the Nine Dragon Screen. We asked M to navigate- he took to this role quite naturally.

We had some lunch and then headed back to our apartment and to the airport. What a great weekend!

Great Wall of China at Mutianyu

Last week I went to Beijing for work, and we decided to fly the family up for the weekend to do some sightseeing. My heart is still full over the absolutely unforgettable, beautiful day we spent at the Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Summer Palace.

We woke up to the most perfect blue sky, low pollution, 75 degree day you could possibly imagine. We had hired a driver with Wild Great Wall Adventure Tours  and he picked us up at 7am to get an early start out to the Wall (it's about 90 minutes from Beijing).

There are many places to access the Wall, but after some research, I quickly honed in on Mutianyu. My kids have recently started to complain about sightseeing, so I wanted to make the trip as appealing as possible to them. My son has read about the Wall in his "Most Amazing Things on the Planet" book, so I knew he would find it interesting, but the opportunity to ride up to the Wall on a cable car or chair lift and ride down on a toboggan (!) was the clincher for me. (My strategy also involves ice cream, Sprite, souvenirs, and other treats).

Boy, was it worth it. Because the chair lift and toboggan are run by the same company, we decided on that combo (you can buy one-way tickets for the cable car/toboggan, but it was too much of a hassle and more expensive). I rode with L, while Daddy rode with M. She kept exclaiming, "Mama, this is so fun!"

Because most people choose the cable car, which arrives at a different part of the Wall, we were alone when we first got there. The kids scampered around, peeking through holes, exploring the watchtowers, climbing hundreds of stairs with determination.

We spent about 3 hours in total on the Wall. What an amazing place. The whole time, the sun was shining, the sky was blue, and we couldn't believe our good luck.

I will never forget this day.

Really settling in

It's starting to feel like home around here.

The kids have attended two full weeks of school, and seem to be loving their teachers. They are making friends. I am starting to feel more confidant on the visa line, and my husband is getting used to his job as a Management Specialist (basically, assisting the Management Officer with any project or task).

We received our last shipment and even hung some artwork. I will share some more photos of our home soon.

We found a new housekeeper (ayi in Chinese) who is making my life so much easier. She cooks, picks up the kids, and organizes my home. This is such a big perk of life in the FS and I am grateful.

We are all learning Chinese! The kids have an hour of Chinese at school every day, and already learned some songs and skits for the Mid-Autumn Festival on Monday. They also have a tutor coming twice a week, and she seems to be really good at teaching children.

Each officer is allowed 20 hours of Chinese tutoring per month, but I only do about 12 hours. I can't seem to find the right time. Some officers meet their tutor at lunch, but I only do this once/week since I am usually tired and hungry (I try to eat quickly before the tutor comes, but there isn't always time). My tutor also comes 2x/week at 6:30pm, but I am usually exhausted by this time and can't stop yawning. The ideal time for me would be 8am, but that is not an option- I'm already at work. And although some officers find a way to have tutoring during the workday, I feel like my day is just too packed. Still, I am grateful for the resources and hope to find a way to increase my study time.

I am busy planning some vacations! We have trips planned to Beijing, Hainan (China's tropical island), and Thailand coming up. I just have to get cracking on the details. There is a lot to arrange but I am so excited. I love that the kids are big enough to travel easily.

Scooters are the perfect vehicle around here. 

We just love this gorgeous pool

Food is a big preoccupation for us. I have found a great company called Guangzhou Grocery that will go shopping at the warehouse store and deliver it the same day to your home. I am all about home delivery. We also use an Australian butcher and I hope to set up organic vegetable delivery soon.

Here we are at the warehouse store. It's kind of fun, but takes up a lot of time...

The kids are doing great with Chinese food. L, especially, will try anything. Yesterday, she ate onion pancakes! She keeps asking for xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings, which we tried back in Maryland. I've eaten some great dumplings but have not yet taken her for her favorites- shrimp or soup dumplings. Happily, the new ayi makes dumplings.

All in all, things are going great. And I don't take that for granted at all.

Food is so yummy here! Looking forward to colder weather so these handpulled noodles will be even more enjoyable

This kid is really embracing everything Chinese. The clothes, the chopsticks, much of the food. I'm proud of her!
PS She likes having her picture taken much more than her brother...

Exploring GZ- Shamian Island

The last two days have been great. Last night, I went out to dinner with some friends, and afterwards, we walked around marveling at the lights of Guangzhou. The Canton Tower changes color at night, and it’s really spectacular. Tons of people, including many kids, were out enjoying the plaza which has panels that light up at night. I can’t wait to show my children. 

This morning, I was finally ready to venture out on a solo outing. My sponsor took me on the subway when I first arrived, but I was still jet lagged then. I've been avoiding it, as I wasn't sure if I could remember how to get to the subway station, or if it was as easy to use as I recalled. I tend to worry since my sense of direction is lousy. 

Cute map of Shamian Island

But I did it! The subway is really incredibly easy, with English/Pinyin signs everywhere (I'm working on learning the characters of the subway station names, too). I traveled to Shamian Island, a charming, pedestrian friendly little island. It’s known as the site of the White Swan Hotel, where adoptive parents often stay when they come to bring home their children.

When I arrived at the Shamian station (Huangsha), it was drizzling, but I decided to buy an umbrella and keep walking. As I walked over the bridge to the island, it REALLY started to rain! So I ducked into a café and had a delicious rice dish (I’m kind of excited about these rice dishes, as I think they will be an easy thing for my kids to get used to ordering when we go out).

After lunch, I wandered around and found some lovely shops. There were tons of Chinese people being tourists, and quite a few brides and grooms taking professional photos. I loved that no one paid any attention to me, and that I didn't have to worry about my safety.

There are many fabulous things to buy here. Aren't the little girl shoes darling? The shop owner was quite kind, and wanted to know if I had a "new daughter." I loved thinking about all the adoptive parents who probably shop there.

I refrained from making a purchase since I know Shamian caters to tourists, but I took note of style and prices so that I can compare to regular markets.

I found my way back home easily, and now I feel confidant I can get around. Some vendors even complimented me on my Chinese! That was comical but gave me hope for the future. 

I'm excited to go somewhere else tomorrow. But for now, have to put my feet up.