Day 12

Today we went to the folk art museum that we were supposed to go to on Sunday. Apparently it really does exist, however, there is shopping there too, so there is no winning for the guys on this trip...

After herding cats this morning in the lobby of the hotel to try and get some group photos taken, we headed out to the museum. With 13 families, ranging from two parents and a baby to two parents, a baby, three siblings and a cousin, there was quite a crowd trying to get organized for a photo shoot. Let's just say...we are lucky everyone was sitting on the same staircase, much less looking at the camera! I am sure between the 20 cameras that our guides were taking pictures with, we should be able to come up with a photo where everyone is looking in the right direction (yeah right...maybe with a little photo shop magic...).

Once the photo was taken, we piled into a bus and went to the museum. The building the museum is in is over 120 years old...young compared to many of the places in China, but still old enough that the building itself is impressive, much less the art inside of it. On the oustide are carvings, both within the brick walls as well as in sandstone and clay on the rooflines. The carvings on the wood within the building were quite impressive as well. We have plenty of pictures to show everyone when we get back. I had Sophie in the Baby Bjorn today and she was quite a hit. Several times she and I were cornered by upwards of 20 locals who were all giving us thumbs up and asking questions in Chinese. Many of the grandmas in the crowd touched her cheeks and gave us a thumbs up. Afterwards, our guides told us that fair skinned babies are treasured in China and are considered very beautiful, so it appears we have quite the hit on our hands. I am sure that will not go to anyone's head when she is a little older...bad enough she is going to be spoiled, but apparently an entire country thinks she is beautiful...

Anyways, some of the artwork within the museum was more than impressive. There were ivory carvings that were so intricate I cannot describe it. Picture the most detailed and intricate model of a boat that you have ever seen, now picture it more detailed and intricate. And these were carved from a single piece of ivory. There were actually some pieces that had 14 different layers of depth to them...and the details on the innermost layer were as precise as the outermost layer. April particularly liked the embroidery section. There were pieces of art that were so meticulously embroidered that they looked like they were painted with a brush, not stiched with thread. In all, it was a very cool experience...and April managed to get some more shopping in as well. This time we walked away with three handpainted pieces of art. And my handpainted, I mean the artist used his hands, not brushes...but you would never know it. Wait till you guys see it...very impressive.

After time at the museum we crashed for our afternoon naps and then went out to do some more...you guessed it...shopping. We also went to the White Swan hotel, which is famous in Chinese adoption lore as the place were all Americans used to stay while waiting their appointments at the consulate, which used to be right across the street. At the White Swan they have a red couch on which most, if not all, babies have their picture taken. Typically all the babies in a travel group are dressed in traditional Chinese clothes and then plopped onto the couch as parents frantically take photos. Unfortunately, our little princess was not interested in taking part in the tradition...she is so progressive. She started getting attitude when we put her in the traditional outfit and went downhill from there when we put her on the couch with the other kiddos. We aren't exactly sure what she got so worked up about...maybe she flashed back to the last time that she was sitting on a couch with all these kids, which was gotcha day when we were two hours late and all the babies were hungry and needed their diapers changed. No matter why, she was not very happy as you can see by the photos. It actually took us about an hour to get her calmed down enough to eat dinner and fall asleep!

Tomorrow is a free day with nothing planned. Several of the families are headed to Hong Kong tomorrow night because their flights leave early in the morning on Thursday. We leave "late enough" that we don't need to spend the night in Hong Kong tomorrow night. Instead we get to get up at the butt crack of dawn on Thursday and drive to Hong Kong for an 1130 flight. Oh well...at least we will be headed home. We have had fun in China for the last two weeks, but we are ready to get home and into a routine that doesn't include hotel rooms and room service...well the room service has been nice, but you guys know what I mean.

See everyone soon!

BJ