Our first stop in the morning was to get the TB tests read. Both kids passed and that was such a relief. We were only in the clinic a few minutes.
We went back to the hotel and picked up the other family for the outing on Shamian Island. Therese was in a very photogenic mood, so Hannah took a series of pictures of her.
John Francis wasn't in the mood to have his picture taken.
I am going to post part of the series that Hannah took of Therese, so you can get an idea of this girl's personality.
A lot of the roads here are lined with flowers, which is really nice looking.
Entering the island was like going to another country. It was so lush and quaint and there were people getting bridal portraits made.
A long time ago, Shamian Island was only for non-Chinese people who were doing business in China. The Europeans built charming buildings in a more European style. Later, it was where most of the embassies were located.
When Froggy and Little Panda saw another formal photo shoot, they thought it was time for them to pose as well.
We went shopping and the other main thing to do on the island is to take pictures of yourself with statues.
One of our greatest finds when shopping today was a set of Chinese clothes for Froggy. It was unfortunate that they didn't have them any smaller, so Little Panda didn't get some too, but pandas are Chinese even without clothes on. Froggy loved his new suit and wanted to pose for a lot more pictures.
We finished up our time at the island with lunch at Lucy's. Froggy and Little Panda were excited to see US state license plates decorating the walls.
The kids were enthusiastic about their near-American dining experience.
Since Therese and John Francis will be Americans soon, we got them burgers and fries.
The fries were the most popular item, and the ketchup. I had a delicious cucumber and tomato sandwich, and an order of onion rings. We ran out of time and had to box up the kids' burgers with us and they finished them in the hotel room.
The kids were so tired they took really long naps, and we decided to try out the playground to get them tired out for bed.
They absolutely loved it, and John Francis loved the slide. He was not happy at first when we told him he had to climb up, but we took turns standing behind him and helping guide his feet. There is no way I could lift this chunky guy up to the top of the slide with my bad back. We did have to lift Therese, but she is much lighter.
We also checked out the waterfall that is in the courtyard garden.
There are three elegant sitting areas that open out to the courtyard, and Froggy and Little Panda really liked the idea of having tea there.
Froggy and Little Panda also tried out the slide.
We explored the hotel shops and then went to 7-11, because Angela, one of the moms in our group, was going there. It is right outside the hotel. The sign looks like one in the US, but the smell was like nothing you would find in America.
Here is the selection of chicken heads and feet, all in handy snack sized packages and different flavors.
If you want something cold and sweet you could try a Colostrum and Oats bar.
Another meal of noodles in the room--Hannah and can no longer stomach noodles, but we got some for the kids since they think they are great, and they are quick and easy.
