Shrinking Room & Rubber Walls

...and there was evening and there was morning, THE FIFTH DAY - in this room.

After shopping downtown yesterday and missing that important "window of opportunity" known as nap time and with no scheduled activities for today we were determined to take back control.

We started the day in the usual way - breakfast at the big buffet.
(I thought the rhyme was rather nice but we'll see what the editor thinks).
Scrambled eggs, french toast, bread, juice and more all came after Joey had his wake-up bottle of formula. I think this little guy (little being a relative term) is in training for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

With an eye on his normal nap time of noon we spent time after breakfast in the Hotel's play room with other kids. While waiting for the maid to finish the room we spoke to a couple of parents who were treating their babies with antibiotics for pneumonia and bronchitis. There is good access to a medical clinic near by. Its not the Dean Clinic, of course, so lets hope we avoid it.
After some creative improvisation by the main act, the star of the show took a well deserved two hour nap. Upon his awakening it happened. The room shrunk and we started bouncing off the walls. So we took a stroll. (I can say that because we actually used a stroller!) There are several little businesses that will "loan" you a stroller hoping you'll do business, especially laundry. This marketing technique works well. After milling about and doing some price comparisons on bottled drinking water we made the necessary purchase at a 7-11. These are actually 7-11 stores like you'd see in the US. There are two very close to our hotel.

Returning to our room at about 4:30 the room's size and elasticity had not changed so we "struck out" (this time without stroller) for the pool. I should report that special absorbency was worn beneath the fashionable swim wear by at least one of the male participants. We also struck out without camera thinking this would likely be a short and uneventful first encounter with the water given our initial attempt at bathing the big fella.

Our failure to bring either recording device (camera or video) guaranteed an excellent adventure. Joey really did well in the baby pool hopefully setting up lots of future fun in the days to come which will be appropriately documented and published right here I'm sure.

Tomorrow (Monday) requires traveling as a group by bus back to the Provincial Office Building (DMV) to begin applying for Joey's visa to the USA.

We have some upcoming trips to the orphanage, zoo and will likely venture across the river into a portion of the City which is more representative of modern China. Likely to be an eye opener.

I'm at deadline so must submit to my editor. Signing off for now.

Hoss, little Joe and little Joe's mama!

(Some technical difficulty transfering pictures so we'll keep trying to add a few later)