Ground Hog Day

Have you seen this movie? We feel like we are living it! Every day, around 8 am we go to the same buffet, eat the exact same meal (which is actually very good), wear one of the same 5 outfits that we brought (laundry is cheap to have done here), take a walk around the island, chat with the other adoptive families, go to dinner, put Joey down for the night at 7:30, boil water to clean his bottles for the day, and then go to bed early! We are on day #18 of our 22 day journey and are pretty much ready to come home.

Having said that, we actually couldn't be more pleased with Joey, our travels, our accommodations and the people we have encountered along the way. The group of adoptive parents, our Guides (Maggie & Grace), the hotel staff (that actually push the elevator button for you and hold the elevator door EVERY TIME you catch the elevator) have all made this trip quite special. This truly has been the experience of a life time.

We have really appreciated all of your comments on the blog or the personal e-mails that you have sent during our trip, as it has made us feel so much more connected to home. Every night we quickly sign on to the computer, once Joey goes to bed, to check for any correspondence! (I've even been known to save some of my e-mails to read over again later...how pathetic!)

Well, it is raining here today, so the trip to the Baiyun Mountain Park has been postponed until tomorrow. The trip features an electric car ride up a mountain to an aviary and some type of bird show. With weather like this, there is nothing to do but shop! With all of the bartering that goes on here, you find yourself starting to negotiate over 10 Yuan (just a little over $1)!

They have scheduled a two hour boat cruise on the Pearl River tonight. We think we'll pass as we have a fantastic view of the Pearl River, all of its boat activity and beautiful night time laser show out our hotel window. It is also right at Joey's bedtime and its raining. The Pearl is China's 4th largest river and the largest in southern China. From this vantage point, the river seems equivalent to the Mississippi. There are all kinds of boats. No big barges like the Mississippi, but more numerous freighters, ferries and smaller "working" vessels. (Dad, you would love the view that we have!)

Thinking of you,

mb, tom, & joe