We started the day with a bang - literally - as Emily set out across the lobby at full speed and tripped and fell right on her forehead. A huge purple lump formed immediately (better to swell out - or so I've always heard) and we felt terrible. We tried to put ice on it, but she wouldn't have any part of that. So, we put on brave faces and set out as the horrible parents whose child crashed face-first on the hard lobby floor... (not that we haven't been these same horrible parents plenty of times before with Graham. He used to crash all the time when he was younger...)
Off we went to the tomb of the grandson of the first Emperor of China. It was he who unified the southern part of China with the rest of the country. It was nice and cool and dark in the tomb ruins and museum. Emily really liked it there and met some little friends who were also visiting the tomb.
Next, we visited a Buddhist Temple area. Our guide explained that most Chinese people are not religious at all. Of those who are religious, however, the most popular religion is Buddhism. There were lots of people praying to the Buddhas and lighting incense. There were also "offerings" of fruit - primarily apples. Emily wanted to steal all of the apples to eat. We had brought one from the hotel breakfast buffet and had to let her eat it so that she wouldn't take from the Buddhas. I kept hoping that people realized that we brought our own and weren't so horrible as to let her eat their offerings! At one point, Emily saw a lady near her bowing to pray and she tried to imitate her by kneeling on the kneeling pillow (see in below pictures).
These are the Buddhas of past, present, and future:
Our final stop this morning was the Shamian Island. Before a few years ago, this was the location for all American families to stay as part of the adoption process. The U.S. Consulate and the medical exam office used to be on the island. Everyone stayed at a hotel on the Pearl River called The White Swan Hotel. Now that the Consulate and medical exam offices have moved back to Guangzhou proper, fewer adoptive families stay on the island. The island was the first area of China where Europeans were allowed to come to trade with the Chinese. You can see the European influence in the architecture and gardens. Parts of the island (which is pretty small overall), remind me of downtown Savannah, Georgia. There are large trees with branches and vines overhanging the walkways, some palm trees, lots of beautiful flowers blooming along the paths, and several bronze statues of European-looking children and adults. There is also a Christian church on the island and services were just finishing as we walked past the entrance. There are lots of little shops with American titles (Jenny's, Helen's, etc...) selling trinkets, souvenirs, t-shirts, jewelry, silk clothing (all on the cheaper side), etc... Our guide told us that we would have to bargain for the right price. She told us the amount above which we should not pay and I let Justin run the show (since I am not a good bargainer and would have had us swindled in no time!). We bought a traditional silk dress for Emily, some t-shirts and dragons for the boys, and a few other little things. Here are some pictures of the island and its buildings and grounds.
And after all of that touring, little Emily Jean was ready for a nap!
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