Thursday, July 29, 2010







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Toilet Paper Optional

Just a note, should you ever travel to China, remember to carry your own tissue at all times. Whatever potty you find - be it a "four star toilet", a squatty, or a "western" toilet at a tourist attraction, store, public venue...toilet paper will be in short supply or nonexistent. Even at the hotel, we have had to call and request more toilet paper, a request which is met with suspicion. After being accused of breaking the sink in our room today, we are afraid to request any more and will be down to facial tissue by morning. Fortunately, I had the foresight to buy a multipack of Hello Kitty tissues at the last hotel, and that has been working out just fine!
Today we visited the embroidery museum in Changsha. Hunan is known for its beautiful embroidery in a variety of styles. This is the first place where we were not followed around and hounded to buy things. The people there were super-friendly, and I took the opportunity to get a nice piece of embroidery on silk in pink and green to hang in Junie's room. Maybe a few little things for her sisters, to represent the place where Ying Ying was born! The ladies working there really liked Junie - who wouldn't. Some of the pieces there are so large that up to 20 women have been working on a single piece for over a year - imagine looking at a piece of blue thread for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week!
After that, we took a quick shopping trip and got some great carryout for a late lunch. Imagine the game "Frogger"....take a moment to imagine the peril faced by the poor little frog as he hopped his way across multiple lanes of high-speed traffic. Now, picture Frogger led by his slender Chinese guide, a stroller, carrying a small child who has never been in such traffic, and some shopping bags. Add in several motorscooters traveling at high speeds and a few angry Chinese who have also been waiting 15 minutes in the heat for a cab, and you have us this afternoon. We made it home to the hotel to be met by the world's happiest bellman and took refuge in the cool safety of our hotel room. We've been to the playroom, had some leftovers for dinner and ordered up some ice cream. Tomorrow we have nothing much in the morning - so we'll hang out, have breakfast, get packed and head to the airport for our 2:30 flight to Guangzhou!!!
Junie continues to do really well - she is becoming more mischevious and testing her little boundaries...but continues to be very smiley, loving, and cuddly. Also, it appears that she believes every white, brown haired man on the computer, or in magazines and ads to be her "baba"! Tom Lyons, you have some time to make up here ; ) We have learned that she: is very messy with popsicles, good with chopsticks, scared of strangers, happy in the bath, silly above all, really sweet, particular about her belongings, and happy with almost all treats!






4 comments:

  1. I had to log in & say how absolutely adorable your daughter is! We were in Hunan in April/May '09...this really brings back the memories. Enjoy your time in China!

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  2. Oh Amy! She is so pretty!!! I absolutely LOVE the one above where you can see all of her long, beautiful hair! I am enjoying following your journey so very much. Thank you for sharing her with us! I can not wait to meet her in person!

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