John Francis and Therese got up too early too, and they were sleepy in the van. Therese was Aunt Hannah's snugglebug on the drive to the consulate.
John Francis, as usual, wanted to sit next to me and hold my hand. In a new situation he needs a little reassurance. It was rush hour so it took awhile to get there.
No cameras are allowed in the US Consulate, so we left mine with the guide who couldn't come in with us either. There was a large group of families in the American Citizen Services area of the consulate. When we came up in the escalator and saw a big American flag, I nearly lost it and started crying. I am so ready to get home! The head of the adoption unit was an actual American woman. She gave us a little welcome speech and went over what we would do, and to make sure we keep our sealed envelope carefully so we can turn it in when we land in the US. After that, she led all the parents in an oath that all the information we had submitted was true to the best of our knowledge, and they called families up individually to the window to finalize the paperwork. Everyone there was under the Hague, so most of the paperwork was done before we came to China. They just had to check the medicals and other documents, and then we signed the visa application in front of them. It was funny to see it, since I submitted that paper months ago, from home, and here it is in China and I signed it. Our visas are supposed to be ready tomorrow afternoon. On the way out we took a picture by the sign.
I didn't like riding in a bus on the top of the triple-decker roads. It just didn't seem very safe, and it was strange to be driving at the level of the 8th floor or so of the buildings. I was trying to count the stories but it was hard to do quickly.
I hope they don't have much earthquake activity here, because these roads are really tall and look a little flimsy.
We went back to the hotel for diaper changes and I got a chance to take Froggy and Little Panda's picture on one of the elephants in front of our hotel. All the hotels we have been in before have had lions in front. This one has elephants. The guide in the other province told me that lions mean power, and I think elephants mean stability.
In the bus for a last quick trip to Shamian Island.
We were worried that the bus wouldn't be able to drive onto the island because it was so big, but we are talking about a Chinese bus driver, so of course he managed it. The drivers here can fit vehicles in very tight places.
We went back to the shop where we bought a lot of stuff the first time, and were able to get more tiger hats. Her name is Jenny, and she is a Christian. She had the best prices on tiger hats and sent her husband to their home to get some more because we needed 5 more so my kids and Emily can all have one.
After naps we went to the pool area to visit with some of our friends, then tried out the indoor playroom. The pictures aren't very good from the playroom because there was serious playing going on and the kids didn't want to stop to pose, and the light was bad in there too. They had a great time!
They had the fountains turned on, so we went out for a look around. Here I am with my two silly new children.
There were two fish in this shallow pool, which caused a lot of excitement.
We had quite a battle with room service. Hannah ordered a meal, but I wanted to eat baked potatoes for supper. First they said we couldn't order a baked potato unless I ordered a steak too. When you eat a plant based diet the last thing you want is a big piece of a dead cow. As a side, the potatoes are 18 yuan. They finally, after multiple people, decided I could buy a potato for 48 yuan. I said I would pay that if they would give me three potatoes, since that is a meal and one potato is not a meal. There was a lot of palaver and in the end they said it would be 48 yuan PER POTATO! These are not baking potatoes we are talking about either, but the smallest baked potatoes I have ever seen. I thought 5-star hotels were supposed to cater to you and help you if you eat a special diet--but 3 potatoes at that price would have been 22 US dollars, more than one of the meals they offer with salmon as the main dish! I was extremely frustrated and mad, because I'm very tired, and I've had to eat so much greasy stuff, and haven't been able to keep a vegan diet. I just wanted something plain. They don't even have plain rice as an option on the menu. I'm tired of waking up with a film of grease on my face in the morning because of the oily, cholestrol-laden food I have been eating. You would think that potatoes had to be grown with gold dust as fertilizer. And it isn't like baking a potato is very much effort either. I am so glad this is our last night in this hotel. I am so done.
