Knowing we had a couple of tours today, Eric and I wanted to try a stroller for Josiah. We were told they can be rented at the hotel so Eric checked after breakfast. Unfortunately, he was told there were no more strollers. When our guide arrived, she asked us if we wanted a stroller. We explained that they were out and she shook her head and came back with 2 more strollers for our group. It has definitely been evident that not all of the staff are willing to work with us "Americans." We've had our share of wonderful staff exchanges too...but the different cultures can be very difficult.
Josiah initially whimpered when I set him down in the stroller and buckled him in...but he was fine once we got moving. Overall, our little guy did great the entire time we were out.
Our first stop was the Chen House. Chen is a very famous name in southern China. It's similar to American surnames like Smith or Jones. Below is a picture of us getting ready to enter. The house is quite large and everything was carved and built by hand. There are two giant doors at the front of the house. Inside were three layers or sections of the house. It was very interesting. And very HOT. Luckily there were some oscillating fans set up throughout, but there wasn't a whole lot of relief.
Next up, was a visit to the pearl and jade market. This is basically like a mall with several floors separated by escalators and filled with nothing but jewelry stores. It was crazy. Thankfully, our guide has connections to store owners who have quality products so she was very helpful as we made some purchases. We only visited 1 jade store and 1 pearl store. At the pearl store, you saw them string beads and place knots in between each bead. That way, if it broke, you would not lose all of your beads. One couple bought their 1 year old son a pearl necklace to give to his wife on their wedding day. I thought that was such a sweet idea and so special.
Josiah barely made a peep the entire time we were out...which wasn't quite 3 hours. Our guide commented on how quiet he is and we shared that he opens up a lot with us in the hotel room. He's still being very cautious when we're out around other people. That is fairly normal for kiddos. He also loves snacking while we're out so that keeps him quiet too. It's hard to talk when your mouth is full. Here is our silly boy walking in his new cup shoes. He did this on his own!
Going out in the morning makes afternoon naps essential. Josiah sucks his thumb when he begins to tire so we knew he was ready. I tried to put him down while Eric got us Subway but he cried and wanted down. I walked around and sang with him and he didn't fight it. This is also huge progress. He didn't let me do this last week! Eric walked in with our Subway and Josiah played a bit more...and ate some of Mama's sandwich. Then, we laid him down again and he refused to lay down except when he wiggled his way into my belly and settled right in. Talk about Mama heaven! Love this boy so much! He also seems to love belly rubs.
Tomorrow we will visit the Guangzhou Zoo. I think it will be a smaller group of families. This schedule is a lot for the kids to experience and it is SO EXTREMELY HOT. We'll see what tomorrow brings...I am glad to have a stroller now. I'm not sure we could do the zoo without it. We're really trying to focus on getting through these daily hoops. Our eye is on the prize... HOME! We appreciate each of you who has followed along so far and can feel your thoughts and prayers being answered.
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