August 19, 2009

 

 

 

Brian and I woke up at 5am.  I decided to start blogging for yesterday and Brian watched TV.  We will get ready for breakfast and meet our guide in the lobby at 10:00 for a half day tour of the city.  Our guide, Jenny, has been wonderful! 

 

Today we went to visit Red Hill Park and the local museum.  It is said to be the largest museum in Xinjiang.  It told the history of this province and a little about each ethnic group that lives here.  They had several mummies upstairs.  Ariel thoroughly enjoyed the museum.  The two little girls just hung out with our guide while we listened to our museum guide tell us all about the artifacts.  It was quite interesting. 

 

 

 

Some of the museum workers were talking with Amelia.  She told them that she was going to the states with her parents.  I'm sure this is something that the orphanage staff has told her.  She is doing great.  She does get frustrated from time to time when we don't understand and that can cause her to whine a little.  Overall she is doing excellent.  Kayli has been a little.or let's just say a lot jealous.  :0  This is to be expected.  When Amelia is holding daddy's right hand then Kayli also wants daddy's right

hand.   The left hand isn't good enough.  J  It is good that my mom is here

and can take Ariel and Kayli to her room for a bit so Amelia can just have time with mommy and daddy.  She seems to enjoy this time. 

 

 

 

At Red Hill Park they had amusement type of rides.  Kayli, Amelia, daddy, and our guide, Jenny, went on the Ferris wheel.  All of us rode this hamster type of wheel that you pedal around a roller coaster type of track.  It was different because it was manual.  All 3 girls and I rode an airplane circular ride that went up and down in the sky and a circular fish ride that you  spray water at the fish in the middle.  All of the girls enjoyed this park. 

 

 

 

After this short half day tour we went back to the hotel for lunch and relaxation time. Amelia, Brian and I fell asleep and then the phone rang and woke us up.  It was Les from Beijing checking in with us.  He is from Holt.

He just wanted to see how things were going. 

 

 

 

Amelia loves play doh.  She sat and played with some for a couple of hours yesterday.  Ariel built a horse ring and put plastic horses in the middle.

Amelia did the same thing and it turned out pretty good. 

 

Today was a ba ba day. (Daddy)  Amelia found out that mommy makes sure clothes are on, teeth are brushed and etc.  and daddy throws her up in the air and carries her on his shoulders.  Ha!  She is too heavy for me to do that.well so is Kayli actually.  Daddy will carry both Kayli and Amelia around for a little bit.  She comes to me when she wants something or needs something.  She is really adjusting quite well.  PTL!  I'm so glad that we brought the girls. 

 

 

 

Ariel has been feeling great!  It takes her about 1 day to recuperate from a flight.  I pray that the next flight is better.  We leave tomorrow for Guangzhou.  I will be glad to get there to do some shopping!  We have enjoyed the time in the province. 

 

 

 

I wish we had more time here to see more. We would love to go to Southern Pastures and the city Turpan.  Our time does not allow. Each activity is about 2 hours away from the city and that is hard on the children. 

 

 

 

Tomorrow we go get Amelia's passport and do some local shopping to buy our souvenirs from this province.  Apparently jade is popular here as well as scarves, rugs, etc. 

 

 

 

We have seen quite a bit of military patrolling the streets but do not feel fear or threatened. 

 

 

 

The other day I experienced going to the bank in China.  It was a 1 hour affair.  I had to get our traveler's checks exchanged.  (Note-do not bring these things to China)  Our guide checked with the local Urumqi bank and asked if they would do the exchange and they said you had to go to Bank of China.  So we drove about 15 minutes.  Our driver parallel parked and we walked in for a security bag check.  It was a very large building.  I don't think we got pictures...bummer.  We had to take a number to be waited on.

There were people inside the bank asking for $$ (begging) so it seemed to me.  There were security guards carrying batons everywhere.  When it was finally our turn, it took them 35 minutes of paperwork in order for us to get our $$.  It was quite the experience. 

 

 

 

Our last hotel would exchange them for us but we had to sign multiple times and he had to call and verify and etc. 

 

 

 

This same day we also went to the local supermarket.  We wanted to buy a small umbrella stroller.  We walked in again for a bag check and could shop on multiple floors.  When we reached the 3rd floor we had to put our things in a locker in order to shop.  It was pretty different.  I guess they keep theft at a minimum this way.  We didn't find a stroller but did find a few books with English and Chinese words.  We bought 3 of them for $1.75.