Journey to China
To Get Mari
August 1996

I was accompanying my niece Sally and her husband Brian, their 2 boys; Ben and Zach, and Sally�s Parents Dolly and Bob on a trip to the large and mysterious country called China.  They were going to get Mari, a little baby girl they were adoption.  It was my first overseas trip in a number of years and I was a bit nervous. I left Nashville about 7 AM, and had several hours in the Chicago airport before the others arrived, Dolly and Bob first, then Sally, Brian, Ben and Zach. We departed Chicago 4:30 PM Aug. 1 which was 6:30 PM Aug.2 China time.  After 15 hours flying time (non-stop), we arrived Hong Kong 9:30 PM Aug. 2

The flight had not been bad although there had been one unexpected big lurch when we encountered some stormy weather near Asia. The seat belt light was not even on, and some folks who were standing were knocked down. I had had a window seat --- good because of the view; bad because the Chinese couple sitting next to me (speaking no English at all) didn't get up much, and I didn't want to crawl over them.  I watched him read his book, back to front, bottom of page of Chinese characters to top and right to left.  He managed to communicate that they were from Hong Kong - Kowloon Peninsula. They also managed to tell me to turn out the light so the beautiful view of Hong Kong at night as we landed would be better seen.

After changing some money at the airport, we found a taxi to take us to YMCA International Hotel.  I found it interesting that our driver had 2 small flags crossed on his dashboard, one Peoples Republic of China and one U.S.A.!  Why no British?   It was an exciting drive through nighttime Hong Kong -- my first Asian experience.  We were taken first to the wrong YMCA Hotel (There are 2), but soon arrived at ours nearby. It was very nice; it should have been, at $125 a night!

Friday Aug. 2, 1996
We had a lovely breakfast on the mezzanine with western and Chinese style food------watermelon, pineapple,  "dim sun", and much more. I especially liked the steamed buns with sweet red bean paste filling.

The Holt adoption agency held an orientation meeting in the hotel. Here we met most of the other families who were to be with us the rest of the time. There were to be 6 babies in our group.  The man in charge was British; he told the parents what to expect and gave some advice. On bonding, he told them the child might bond with the father before mother--not to be surprised; he said Sally and Brian's might bond first with her brothers, "the lads" as he called them. He also said something (I've forgotten what) was "smashing" and called the restroom the "loo". He gave us all some practical bits of advice, e.g. Hong Kong is perfectly safe; you can walk the streets at night if you like, but do guard your passport.

In the afternoon, along with some other parents-to-be, we arranged with the hotel for a guided tour of Hong Kong Island. Our guide was Olivia (I've forgotten her Chinese name). She was very cute, constantly asking questions, then answering them herself -- that was her style. She told us the Cantonese language is different from Chinese and gave some examples of Cantonese.
Do te - thank you
Jo sun - good morning
Tyi qui - too much
Bye or Joy gin -goodbye
Ho hom-very good
Ho ho ho hom - very, very, very good

She told us 6.3 million people live in Hong Kong- of which 90% are Chinese.  Many Filipinos work as domestic helpers.  We passed the famous Peninsula Hotel where "high tea" is served every day at 3 P.M. We also passed the Regent Hotel and the New World Hotel. Our YMCA International was on Kowloon Peninsula and we went and returned by way of the "no excuse" tunnel built in 1972. It seems the businessmen would work late and miss the ferry. Now they had no excuse for not coming home!

Olivia mentioned "feng shui", the Chinese folk belief that the relations between men and natural and spiritual forces must be closely studied and properly maintained. It is related to the yin/yang concept.  It even influences the selection of colors.

Hong Kong Island comprises about 80 sq. kilometers or about 30 sq. miles.  The highlight of the tour was driving up to Victoria Peak. It was a cloudy, misty day with rain, but still the view of the harbor and city were impressive.  Much film was used up there. We saw the funicular car though we didn't ride it. We drove through a seaside resort with beaches on the South China Sea, but I don't remember much about this Repulse Bay. I do remember Aberdeen where we took a ride on a sampan and saw the houseboats where fishermen live; also floating restaurants. (Many pictures taken) We were told this scene may soon be a relic of the past. I suppose the government is striving to end the houseboat living. The tall skyscrapers are on the island because, due to the airport, height is restricted on Kowloon.

Stanley Market was a most interesting place, just not enough time there. More time and I would surely have bought a lot more. It seemed a huge flea market.  Where I blew my money was at the jewelry factory at Aberdeen.  I am not a jewelry fancier and I surprised myself by impulsively buying, not one but two pieces of jade - a ring and a pendant circle with gold and gemstones inside. Sally recognized a dragon inside the circle and later I noticed there was a phoenix also.

Back at the hotel that night we had dinner; I got a spicy noodle dish --very good!  The next morning, the breakfast buffet was again delightful with Asian and Western food.  I loved the sweet steamed buns and the "dim sun" or little dumplings.

Quick shopping at a camera shop where I bought my Fuji camera and film, before going to airport for China Eastern flight to Fuzhou. The pile of mangoes that somebody had to leave behind sticks in my mind. A poignant memory of Hong Kong: the old man in the hotel who ran one of the elevators, a job, which didn't seem to be necessary since they were all automatic. He was so nice and proud to speak some English. He said he was retarded, but I'm sure he was confusing the word retarded with uneducated. Otherwise he could not have picked up that much English from talking to hotel guests. I left him a bit of money, which he appreciated.

After a short flight we arrived at Fuzhou airport, an old one used by the military. (A new one is being built, they told us, for the next time we come to Fuzhou!) We, and all our luggage, were piled on a bus (we had been met by Jinn and Traci, Holt representatives) and a very interesting drive took us to the Lakeside Hotel. I felt like my mind and eyes just couldn't expand enough to take it all in. We reached the West Lake and our Hotel, which was a high-rise overlooking the lake.  The lobby was large and bright with a restaurant to the left and at the extreme right were gift shops.  Our individual rooms were spacious and attractive with the exterior wall all glass with draw drapes, 2 double beds , a sofa and chair and tea table In front of the window. My room overlooked the lake; others overlooked the waterfall and pond at back of the hotel. In my closet was a large thermos bottle containing very hot water, as well as a pitcher, cups, glasses and teabags. There was also a small refrigerator with cold drinks stocked.  But we discovered they charged a pretty hefty price if you used them; we could get bottled water and/or cola drinks much cheaper at the little store a short distance from the hotel. They also had the coconut milk beverage, which I found very tasty and refreshing.

We had a meeting that afternoon in Alycia�s room (She was the Holt representative from Oregon who had traveled from Hong Kong with us). Of the 2 Chinese representatives who met us Jian was with us a couple of days, but Traci left for somewhere else almost immediately. She was a beautiful slender Chinese girl with long black braids. Connie and Ping were our escorts the rest of the time in Fuzhou. Everyone introduced himself at the meeting, and we learned we would get all the babies but one (Carol's) that evening.  Debbie Hanks was excited when told hers was due to arrive from Nanning at 5 P.M.  The rest who were coming from Longyan orphanage were expected about 9:00 after their 9-hour ride in a not-air-conditioned train. I think I alone was a bit disappointed we didn't get to go to Longyan to get her!

We ate dinner that night at the western style Lakeside Restaurant as we did on several other occasions. It was on the ground floor to the left of the lobby, overlooking the lake. I had fried rice with sausage and pineapple ---very good. In the dining room there was usually music from violin and piano--- often classical but sometimes familiar western songs, e.g. Sewanee River and once we were surprised to hear a Christian hymn "What a friend we have in Jesus"

The hotel always smelled strange, I think it was the floor polish they were putting on it every day. There were numerous employees working around the hotel and restaurant, even several doormen.  We theorized that the government makes a great effort to give everybody a job, not a bad idea to my mind.

Sunday night, we sat around Dolly and Bob's room waiting for Mari's arrival.  I dozed off at one point, but right on time the 3 women who brought them from Longyan presented the babies to their new parents. Sally said she recognized Mari immediately (from her picture) and I think I did too. There was much photographing that night, of the babies and caregivers who brought them. Mari was a beautiful baby.  She had much lighter skin than any of the others.  Indeed, many people including the airline attendant on the flight home were surprised at her looks, like she could have been Sally and Brian's own child.  But she has those beautiful Chinese almond shaped eyes!

On Monday, after a complimentary breakfast buffet in the Lakeside (Asian and Western including bacon, eggs, french toast, egg rolls, taro root cakes, rice cakes, and watermelon red and yellow, other fruits, etc.; they even had oatmeal along with rice porridge or Congee; there were the steamed buns we had had in Hong Kong as well as a variety of western breads), we met in the lobby for a trip to the "Civil Administration Dept. of Fujian Province marriage and adoption registration office concerning Foreign Nationals".  It was a small room and each couple was interviewed separately, so Dolly & Bob and I used the time to sight-see on the street.

First Zach and I had pictures taken with a pretty Chinese lady who, I think, worked at the Office. Then we walked down the street, sidewalks crowded with people, numerous bicycles and motorcycles parked alongside, wide sections on either side�of the street marked off for riding bicycles. We passed all kinds of shops, mostly small and open fronted with coverings like blinds to pull down at night; there were many fruit stands (lots of watermelons) and walking vendors. I bought some beautiful white peaches from an old woman.   I was fascinated to see a man selling "cricket cages", remembering a children�s story where a little boy receives a cricket cage for a gift. These tiny straw baskets each had a cicada (not our cricket) and their noise was deafening. The man had a huge bundle of them. A young woman bought one and let me take her picture, but the slide came out with a blur for the cage. I suppose I had 100 ASA film and the cage jumped with the insect.

Looking down from the pedestrian walkway across the street made an interesting picture. There are some traffic lights, but it is often hard to get across, amid all the bikes, motorcycles, buses, and cars so the walkways are helpful.

Some more adoption business took place at a different building; this one unlike the other was air-conditioned and freezing cold. There was an oval conference table with a recessed area in the middle containing green plants. A small double PRC flag stood there.

That afternoon we rested, still getting over jet lag.  Dolly and I did walk a bit down the street near our hotel, shopping at the numerous free enterprise shops and stalls. I tried out my bargaining skills and bought a silk scarf and a silk blouse.  The Lakeside Hotel giftshop had beautiful things, but prices were fixed and quite expensive.  I bought a pink silk blouse there for Martha. That night most of the group had dinner in the Dynasty Restaurant on the 2nd floor of the hotel. This was the first strictly Chinese meal -----chopsticks, soup bowl and ceramic spoon settings at a "lazy-susan" table. And nobody spoke English!  I enjoyed it; wish I could remember what I got. I noticed during the trip that many Americans no not like Chinese food.  We shared the various dishes a la Chinese style.  Some of us ordered dessert, discovering that Chinese desserts are different and not very sweet. Brian's tapioca pudding was thin like soup.  Mine was a long time coming, was mildly sweet with dried dates and some other fruit in it. Desserts are not very important in China nor are they traditional.  They borrowed cookies from the westerners, and developed their own specialties, e.g. almond cookies and moon cakes. I don't know why I took no pictures that night.

Monday at breakfast, I had met a woman who was accompanying her friend on the adoption adventure. They seemed adventurous types and were planning to walk to the White Pagoda Tuesday (baby in tow). She asked and I would have liked. to have gone with them, but I didn't want to miss the planned trip to the department store. Too bad they were leaving next day. (Groups of adopting parents seemed to be coming and going constantly.)

Tuesday, Aug. 6
So today we were taken to a store for shopping. Some of the parents needed things for the baby and we were glad to see Chinese everyday life. Prices are fixed in the government owned department stores as they are in the hotel shops. There were hordes of people in the store which had a nice selection of goods.My watch had stopped day before , so I bought a Citizen watch for about $4O(U.S.), also a child's novelty watch with a mouse second hand. There were interesting items in the grocery section.

We again saw the women who brought Mari and the others from Longyan at the store. I took a picture of them, with Ping (our Holt escort) and Sally with Mari. I also took the security guard, soldier, or whatever, who good-humoredly hoisted Zach up to his shoulder for a picture.

Afterward, we were taken to lunch at, of all places, McDonald's. Same menu and style, but much larger than the average McDonald's here in U.S. Ben and Zach, along with Jian's children, Sophia and Donavan, had their pictures taken with the Ronald McDonald.

Back at the hotel, we again rested a bit. Then we took another walk, perhaps down the street with shops, as far the primary school. Then we went down beside the other hotel, the West Lake, and behind ours where the pond and waterfall were. It was becoming rainy. We had dinner in the Lakeside western style restaurant that night.  I had a delicious soup and an eggplant dish. Long after I had gone my room for the night, I heard children running up and down the hall.  I think it was Jian's children Sophia and Donavan. They were cute and made good playfellows for Ben and Zach. Next day they accompanied us on a walk around the hotel and environs, while Jian took care of business. The children played under the waterfall. But unfortunately they left the next day; I believe they were going to Beijing. They live in Oregon where Jian works for Holt adoption agency.

Wednesday, Aug. 7, 1996
After our delicious buffet breakfast, which went with the room, we met at 9:30 for a group picture on the steps inside the hotel.  Then the babies had their individual passport pictures made in Alycia�s room. Mari wore the little pink outfit Martha had sent by me. Later when I saw the picture, I thought it very good. While this was going on, we walked around some more, Ben and Zach with me, Dolly and Bob. We walked to the little grocery store not far away and bought snacks.  We often bought water and cokes at the open shop at the corner of the main street. I frequently bought the coconut milk drink I liked so well. Drinks were a lot cheaper elsewhere than from the refrigerator in our rooms.

Another thing I bought frequently was fruit from the stalls or street vendors.  Longyan nuts were something new and I developed a taste for them. And the mangoes were delicious; Ben, like me, was especially fond of these. These mangoes were yellow in color, sort of flat, and tastier than our mangoes which, I suppose, come from Central America. One day, for our lunchtime snack in Dolly and Bob's room, I bought one of the yellow melons so plentiful with all the vendors. It was like a cantaloupe.

I took some pictures that Wednesday morning: the children playing behind the waterfall; a close up of the spider lily, which I saw frequently in China.  This flower is just like our wild hymenocallis, which grows wild in Tennessee (somewhat rare). In China, these bulbs seemed a favorite for landscaping.  I also took a slide of the rainbow bridge across West Lake in West Lake Park, which, later in the week, Dolly, Bob, and I crossed.

I had read in my BLUE GUIDE TO CHINA about the Fuzhou City museum near the White Pagoda. Wed. afternoon was free and I suggested taking a taxi there. A lot of the others wanted to go so we rented a van( It cost less than $4.00 (U.S.) );the one English-speaking man at the desk wrote in Chinese where we wanted to go on a Lakeside Hotel card and we showed it to the driver. Our destination was Yu Shan (Yu Mountain), a rocky, tree-covered hill in down-town Fuzhou 190 ft. or 58 meters high. The weather was dark, wet, warm and humid. The whole area had the aura of great age. I wouldn�t say it was beautiful, but it was very interesting.

There were numerous large boulders with Chinese characters carved into them, the incised area often painted red. The huge, ancient Banyan trees with gnarled roots added to the atmosphere of age. Indeed, the BLUE GUIDE says some of these carved inscriptions go back to the Song Dynasty (10th and 1lth centuries)! The ancient aura of this place presented quite a contrast to that of the modern buildings surrounding the hill. Fuzhou streets are lined with young Banyan trees; it is sometimes called the "City of Banyan Trees". But you have to go to the ancient places to see the old gnarled ones.  Another tid-bit from the BLUE GUIDE: during the Moon Festival in September, families believe they must climb a mountain to protect their home from evil spirits, and Yu Shan is a favorite place. We had come to see the city museum which is housed in Dashi Hall (Guanyin Hall).  This building has had its part in history.

It is on a Song foundation, rebuilt in 1713, where the officials of the city prayed for good fortune. Dashi Hall means Hall of Great Men. The BLUE GUIDE says it was headquarters for the 1911 uprising which established the republic (in that area, I suppose). "On 9 Nov 1911,a beacon was fired here by the revolutionary forces to launch the attack on government forces and captives were executed near a well west of the Hall. "  There is also an abandoned temple here and we photographed the children on the lion sculpture in front of it. Later, Peter Yang told me, that the male lion always holds a ball in his paw in sculptures while the female holds a cub.  Inside the Museum was a relatively small collection of artifacts from various periods of the past. It would have been more interesting if I could have read Chinese. There was an attempt at English translation on the wall for some of the explanatory labels, but it was inadequate.  I did read that the Paleolithic artifacts in one case represent a society where class differences had not developed. This would appeal to the communist ideology, and I have since read that the government encourages archaeological excavation.  A special exhibition in the museum as described in the BLUE GUIDE was very interesting: a southern Song tomb excavated in 1986 in a Fuzhou suburb. The skeletons of a man and a woman in formaldehyde as well as remains of clothing and grave goods e.g. silver chopsticks are on display. We noticed that the woman's footbones had been broken indicating she was upper class and had the small feet considered appropriate for women.

Yu Shan was not without a modern touch.  There was a monstrous colorful guitar (plaster, I guess) next to a moon gate; I've no idea of the significance. Oh, to have been able to read Chinese! You see, we had no guide or escort here.  Somehow we missed the White Pagoda; we were certainly close. But Dolly, Bob and I returned to the Pagoda later in the week.

Dinner that night was at the Lakeside's western style restaurant. I  had fish. Later more browsing in that tempting hotel gift shop ---- I didn't buy any porcelain vases but they were beautiful. I wish we could have gone to a near-by town where a porcelain factory is located.

Thursday, Aug. 8, 1996
After breakfast, we were escorted by Ping to the "Fuzhou Carving Arts and Crafts Factory".  I thought it was to be a lacquer factory but they had all manner of beautiful handicraft---some more like museum pieces. But there were shopping opportunities and I used them --- bought a lacquer tea set and mask, and several silk pictures.  We were in the area where lacquerware is produced; the lac tree grows in southeast China.  The resin from the lac tree has to be kept airtight because it hardens so quickly. Hundreds of layers are painted onto a base e.g. wood or papier mache, and then a design is applied by inlay, etching or painting.  The stone carvings (soapstone) were magnificent, as were the ivory and rock crystal. The clerks seemed impatient with us; I think we may have delayed their lunch break. As in most hot countries there is a long siesta at lunchtime.

Back at the hotel, a snack lunch and leisurely afternoon.

This is a good time to talk about the babies and their new parents.

IVEY ( 5 1/2 mos.) to Beverly and Daniel Burke of Wytheville, Virginia.  She was the only one whose actual birthdate was known. She was a little sick the night of arrival and had bad diaper rash, but was basically quite healthy, perhaps the plumpest one of all. She came from Longyan Orphanage.  Her Chinese name was Long Fu Cui, Full name: Ivey Mariyn Fucui Burke. Birthday � 02/18/1996

Michelle (12 mos.) to Debbie and Benny Hanks of Chattanooga, Tenn. She was the first to arrive, coming from Nanping orphanage. Her Chinese name Yan Dan.

Matea (17 mos.) to Renee� Arneson and Mike Losenegger of Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin. Her Chinese name was Long Fu E.  She had been with a foster family but came directly from Longyan Orphanage.  She was small for her age, but was talking Chinese and walking with help.

Christina (6 mos.) to Tim Stiff (his wife couldn't travel to get her) of Madison, Wisconsin. Her Chinese name was Long Fuan.  She came from Longyan Orphanage.

Mari Leigh (7 mos.) to Sally and Brian Schroeder of Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin.  Her Chinese name was Long Fu Jia. She came from Longyan Orphanage, where she apparently had a nickname "Tatia". She had the lightest complexion of all the babies.

Katey�(Katherine Hope) (14 mos.) to Carol Howard of Wadsworth, Ohio. Katey was from Shaawu (Shaoyu?) and a different orphanage from the others. She was small for her age. Thelma Whitman and Dale Howard, Carol�s aunt and uncle were with her �for support� they said.  I enjoyed knowing them.

Thursday afternoon, we took an extended walk out onto one of the main streets.  I took a few pictures: 1) baskets of colorful paper flowers flanking a building indicating that it was a new business; 2) local residents taking a keen interest in the children, both the babies and the boys.  I had heard that the Chinese really like children; 3) a view of the road to the hotel with its canopy of trees.  We met Mike, Renee�, and Matea and I took their picture ---- also somebody�s pet dog.  It doesn�t show up in the pictures, but on the side of the street opposite the one with the shops, the side closest to the lake, there is a concrete wall with glass shreds on top.  I imagine this used to be a military installation.  This province has been the site of much military activity and was off limits to all foreigners before 1979.  It is directly across from Taiwan. The BLUE GUIDE tells me that the ancient city walls, which existed at least in part until 1924, came to about this point--- the edge of West Lake.

The Hanks and their Michelle had an interesting experience when they were walking in Fuzhou by themselves. They said that a number of people had gathered to admire little Michelle (and look at the parents too, I imagine).  There was someone who spoke a little English, and translated what one woman was trying to tell them. She had a little baby boy at home and wanted the Hanks to adopt him and�take him to the U.S.! Of course it was explained that they couldn't.

Friday, August 9, 1996
Today-was the trip to Drum Mountain (Gu Shan), one of Fuzhou's chief attractions. It Is about 9 mi. east of the city, and rises 2,194 ft. (669m). The name comes from a huge flat stone at the top, which makes a drumming sound when it rains.  Our trip was on a rainy day and I heard a sound like thunder, which, I assume was the "drum".  The mountain has numerous terraces, springs, caves, pavilions, and temples.  We visited one of the temples: The Temple of the Bubbling (or Gushing) Spring---Yongquan si, which dates to the 10th century (908 A.D.).  Buddhist temples in China, I discovered, are not just one building but many.  The "Hall of Heavenly: Kings" has in front of it a pair of Northern Song pagodas (dated by inscription to 1082) of 9 stories, almost 7 meters high with ceramic bells dangling from the eaves and 1,078 Buddha figures decorating each. They were apparently made in separate stories, then joined together, and originally stood in the Longrui Temple in Fuzhou being moved here in 1972. At the entrance to the temple area is another of those playful-looking lion monsters rolling a large ball in his paw. Ben joined him for a picture!  The lotus, Buddhist symbol of purity, appeared everywhere, especially on the tops of columns bordering the pathway to the temple.  I always notice flowers and here I saw some unfamiliar ones, but also the familiar crepe myrtle. I took many pictures here.

There were many other visitors here, all Asian.  They were charmed by the children as well as by us.  Some wanted to take our picture or be photographed with us.  There was a lot of picture taking going on, by them and us! We were permitted to photograph the 3 golden Buddha�s in the Hall. In the courtyard, I took pictures of a pool with fish (the gushing spring, I suppose) and much ornate, traditional architecture, often with dragons on the eaves.

On the way down Drum Mountain, we looked down on the Min River and the city of Fuzhou. There were some new apartments out in the country---urban sprawl is beginning here! Returning to the city I saw a statue that I had noticed on the way out. He wore a pigtail down his back. I asked Connie, our escort, about him; she said she would find out. Next day she told he might be Yan Fu (1853-1921)--she didn't seem certain.  Yan Fu was a Fuzhou native son who was important in the westernizing of Chinese institutions such as the navy and ship building which had proved woefully inadequate in the Taiping Uprising and the Opium War.  He was sent to England to Study at the Greenwich Naval Academy.  But he was also a scholar interested in the theoretical basis of British politics and law. He is best known for translating John Stuart Mill, Adam Smith, Huxley and Charles Darwin into Chinese. 

Back at the hotel there were a lot of good-byes as the 3 caretakers who had brought the babies took their leave. Also much picture taking.

We decided to try "High Tea" in the Lakeside Restaurant.  It was all right---smoked salmon sandwiches, some kind of sweet stuff, but no better than regular dinner fare. High Tea was a decidedly British touch. While eating, we saw a 3-doored Mercedes parked in front of the hotel. Bob was impressed---said there must be somebody important here! I went back to the street shop and bought the little silk outfit for Mari.

Saturday, Aug. 10, 1996
Our outing today was to the flea market. It was long arcade with an ornate, oriental style sign above the entrance, which featured red-crowned cranes and was in English as well as Chinese.  It was fascinating; I would have liked more time there.  I used my bargaining skills and bought 2 stone carvings and a red silk panel embroidered with the ever-present red-crowned cranes, symbol of longevity.  One of my carvings was the happy monk who helped people when they were in need; the other, the female Buddha to whom women pray when they desire children.  Ping was explaining this to me later, and he said this Buddha (the one with a jug) lived 2QO years ago and always appears when things go wrong. The pot or jug contains wine.  I must find out more about these legends and traditions.  There were many live animals, as well as flowers and plants for sale at the market.

We were taken to lunch at Kentucky Fried Chicken. The major difference I see between these American fast food restaurants in China and those in U.S. is size. This KFC was huge, encompassing 2 floors.  At one end of the 2nd floor was a children's play area where a number of Chinese children were having a great time on the slides. Colorful murals showed the Col. himself!

This afternoon Dolly and Bob and I took a taxi back to Yu Shan to see the White Pagoda. The Pagoda's real name  "Dingguang" (translated Certain Brightness) refers to a brilliant pearl supposedly hidden in the foundation when it was first constructed in 904AD.  It originally had a brick center with a wooden exterior, but was destroyed by lightning in 1534 and reconstructed with brick exterior in 1548.   It is wood inside now and we climbed the wooden stairs to the top of this 7 story brick octagon, 134 ft. high (41 m), and had a nice view of the surrounding modern city.

Back down, the proprietor of a near-by shop beckoned us in.  There were a lot of pretty things there and I bought my �100 Butterfly" wall hanging and a pair of Baodin balls (blue cloisonn� maybe) with different tones. Also I bought, unintentionally, a tablecloth! The man kept showing it to me with a 300 yuan price on his calculator.  I tried to explain that I wanted to look around before I decided what to buy, but to no avail. Finally, to get rid of him, I indicated on his calculator that I would pay only 150 yuan, never dreaming he would take that. But, lo and behold, he immediately put it in a sack!   So I took it with the other 2 items, never even opening it out. Later I discovered it had some spots on it, but they washed out fairly well. We talked a bit with a Chinese woman and her 2 children who were in the shop and left when we did. She spoke fairly good English and said she was embarrassed for the pushiness of the clerk (my paraphrase). She also said something to the effect that she was glad her children had the rare opportunity to meet some Americans.  We took pictures of us all together near the giant stone turtle in front of the former temple. I didn't notice the high relief dragon carved on the column until I looked at the picture.  The local stone can be carved easily. I took slides of lions and lotus blossoms atop the columns----power alternating with purity.

From there, we turned to our right, went through a moon door where we paid a small admission. I don't know what we were seeing, but the small pagoda I photographed with Dolly and Bob might be the one described in the BLUE GUIDE (P 487) as going back to the Tang Dynasty (AD 607-918). The stone stele with the carved writing might be the one telling of Bodhisattva Guanyin "turning from a man into a woman"; I won't know until I find someone who reads Chinese.  There were some very picturesque Banyan trees in this area.  They must have been ancient, judging from the size of their gnarled roots all intertwined with huge boulders, some of which were carved with large red Chinese characters. I wonder if my picture shows the "Drunken Stone" of the story of Qi Jiguang (1528-1587), a general who fought the Japanese, and was honored with a hall and banquet on Yu Shan.

We then walked back to the wide main street where there's a big park or square containing the huge white statue of Mao with arm upraised. A short distance to either side, stand 2 large white horse statues. A billboard advertising liquor sort of ruins my picture of one.  We never saw the Black Pagoda or Lin Zexu Memorial Hall, dedicated to this "upright official" of the Qing Dynasty.

Back at the hotel, I bought some books: 1 on poetry, 1 on Peking Opera, later a little kit on acupuncture.  Books were inexpensive here.

Sunday Aug. 11
Today, we went to the panda house in the park: got some good slides. There were only 1 or 2 pandas plus some little animals related to the panda. I didn't realize it then, but they were what we call red pandas and have at the Nashville zoo. The 2 of them played like kittens.  I got a cute picture of Zach and the big panda, also one of the panda eating lunch of bamboo.  I also got one of the boys sitting in a very ancient and gnarled, rock-intertwined Banyan tree.  I noticed what appeared to be a small altar at the back of this tree; it had sticks of incense on it. (Daoist, maybe?)  We cleaned out the giftshop of panda T-shirts; I think everyone bought one.

On the bus ride back, I took a few window shots: one showing typical modern apartments, each one with its little balcony, usually a line full of clothes across it.  Another showing new low buildings in traditional oriental style in front of modern high-rises; yet another of a modern building with red streamers, probably indicating a new business.

Our Lakeside Hotel had some beautiful decorative features.  There were 2 pictures on either side of the elevator hall; I don't know whether the medium was enamel or lacquer on the marble wall. One showed a warrior out of Chinese history; the other illustrated a myth, which was explained to me by the English-speaking Hotel clerk.  It seems the land was being plagued with constant raining and floods. A young woman was sent up into the heavens to plug up the hole in the sky. Apparently she was successful.  There was also a beautiful example of bonsai in the lobby. I believe it was a Banyan tree-only 3 ft. tall, yet old and gnarled.

Dolly and Bob and I walked to West Lake Park this afternoon.  We walked our usual way beside the shops down to the main street, turned right along the lake shore and a road under construction until we got to the park entrance. We paid a small fee when we entered.  It was a very hot day and soon after entering the park, a lady invited me into her gift shop to rest. There was a unique chair made of gnarled wood (Banyan, perhaps?) and Dolly photographed me sitting in it. It didn't seem to matter that we didn't buy anything; she was very gracious.  There was an interesting rock formation near-by, plants cascading down it � It made an interesting backdrop for a picture.  We walked across Rainbow bridge (arched like this � ) which we see from our hotel across the lake; and we looked back across at our high rise hotel!  The Fujian Provincial Museum is located in West Lake Park. There is supposed to be a part devoted to revolutionary history, but we saw only pre-revolutionary, mostly archaeological. It was large (like a huge warehouse) totally undecorated except for the glass cases, and had a large-squared tile floor. It had some interesting exhibits. I believe we saw the boat coffin referred to in the BLUE GUIDE (p 484) excavated in 1978 with a carbon-l4 age of 3,445 years.  Again, how great it would have been to have read Chinese!  I took a picture of some ceramic pots, and Bob got some interesting shots; one of Dolly beside a beautiful porcelain vase; another a bust of a man with a beard, yet another of a group of ceramic human figures.  I wonder, if this is not what the BLUE GUIDE describes on page 484 as being from the Five Dynasties period when the Kingdom of Min controlled the area: "A stone and brick-lined tomb of the period produced a sizable collection of ceramic figures, some half life-size, others smaller, grouped in a central case."

In front of the Museum building stands a huge statue of the aforementioned "upright official" and native son of Fuzhou---Lin Zexu whose memorial bldg. we missed. Lin (1785-1850) was �known for his moral stand against the opium trade for which he was made Imperial Commissioner with plenipotentiary power to investigate the opium question at Canton (1839-40).� His efforts failed, but he is "an heroic figure in Chinese history for his principled letter to Queen Victoria (which is quoted on p. 489 of BLUE GUIDE) requesting the end of the opium trade, and for his destruction of the over 20,000 chests of opium confiscated at Canton, which sparked off the first Opium War."   The letter was not acknowledged, perhaps never received. Lin has a connection with West Lake: it seems that in 1827 when he came home for the Confucian ritual of mourning for his father, he noticed that the lake was in sorry condition, and he prompted the local officials to clean and restore it. The lake, dating back to 282 AD, is an artificial one created for irrigation purposes. Amazingly, the area has been a park since the Five Dynasties period (10th century).

I enjoyed the afternoon in the park among the willow trees and great banyans: oh, the incredible age of this place!  We saw the lotus pavilion, with its moon doorways.  Leaving the park, we attemped to catch a ride  in a rickshaw bike, but communication proved so difficult that we gave it up.  On the way back to the hotel, we saw a lot of road work going on, in which Bob was quite interested --- says their building technology is 50 years behind ours.

That night, we ate again in the Dynasty, this time just our family.This was a very pleasant meal and the one where I ordered "Buddha jumps over the wall" which  I had read was a speciality of Fuzhou. It came (after a long wait) in a small bowl covered with parchment and was a sort of stew comprised of shark's fin, fish roe, pigeon eggs, abalone and sauce---- very good although not so much better than other less expensive dishes.  Information about it came from my guidebook and our escorts Connie and Ping, because the waitresses at the Dynasty spoke no English. I have since read that soups and stews characterize the cuisine of Fujian Province.  Some good pictures were taken that night of me eating the "city specialty",  also one of a platter containing the remains of a chicken dish including the head!

Monday Aug 12, 1996
Aug. 12-This morning, I looked out my window and saw red and blue balloons with streamers, airborne at the edge of the lake ---- a very colorful sight. We later learned the occasion was an automobile show at the hotel--- the unveiling of the new model of "Delica" van in the lobby, replete with pretty girls.  Among the other decorations, there were small flags hanging above the buffet in the Dining room; I recognized Canada's, Germany's, and some others. The U.S. flag was missing; I suppose because the "Delica", apparently made in China, is not sold in our country.

Today was our trip to the countryside to which I had looked forward. I was a little disappointed we didn't go farther from the city; but it was very interesting all the same. I took a picture of a statue we left the city; hut it turned out poorly and I'm not sure who it was nor am I sure what direction we were going.  Roads were poor, narrow, and crowded with cars and trucks. We got a good look at rice paddies; the plants were about a foot tall at that time and growing out of muddy water.  0ften the fields were bordered by a row of broad-leafed water lily-like plants. Ping told me it was taro root and edible but not to be eaten in large quantities; I enjoyed the taro root cakes on the breakfast buffet. I photographed a blue and white tile building across from the rice field because it was typical of the tile covered buildings I had seen in town. The tile was pure white with 3 or 4 horizontal stripes of blue.  At the same spot, we saw some rather run-down shacks (maybe shops?) with corrugated tin (I suppose) or awnings to protect from the tropical sun.

But the highlight was the stop where we walked into a cluster of homes and actually visited one of them!  The farmers live in little communities each house asymmetrically crowded against the next; they go out into the fields to work (as in many places in Europe).  I suppose it could have been a family compound, but I don't think so. The buildings were old but attractive with stucco walls and peaked, tile roofs, (I think I even see a dragon on the roof in the picture; I didn't notice it at the time.).  Ping said there was a family who would be glad for us to come inside their home; he had gone to ask. (It might have been prearranged but I don't think so.) They were very gracious. It was a very hot day and the man offered each of us a little carton of ice cold apple juice with straw. It seems his wife worked at a near-by factory where it was produced, (She was not there; at work, I suppose).  The juice was delicious, not too sweet as apple juice often is.  The man and his daughter posed for a picture, but only after he had gone inside to put on his shirt! I think sometimes we westerners think that citizens of a communist nation are oppressed, miserable, and full of distrust of westerners, but, it's just not so.  This man was obviously very proud of his home. To describe it: one entered an open hallway; some kind of plastic or glass protected from rain.  It had a concrete floor; it probably would be called a courtyard. On the left were 2 bedrooms each containing one of the old Chinese box type beds with posts rising to the ceiling.  Mosquito netting enveloped the sleeping area and instead of a mattress there was a lumpy covering over bamboo slats. On the right of the courtyard or hall was a kitchen (I wish I had noticed its contents more closely) and also a bathroom, modern and in 2 parts: a toilet and basin in one, a bathtub in the other. A door from the right of the hall/courtyard led to a little garden. Among the vegetables growing there were 3 stalks of corn!  Outside, I took a picture of the grandmother and a small child, also their chickens and piled-up straw.  Someone asked Ping if we should offer money to this family, but he said "no".

After that, Ping took us to a provincial park/forest preserve. The dense tree growth and surrounding low mountains reminded me of the Cumberland Mountains.  There was a river with bridge and a picnic area.  The Chinese go in for bright colors, balloons, and geometric shapes in contrast to the rusticity of our state parks.  Ping seemed knowledgeable about forestry and he worked in a paper mill. I understood him to say that he studied forestry in college because he was assigned it, not because he chose it. He told us he makes only 600 Yuan a month, but his job doesn't take all his time and he is free to take a 2nd job with the Adoption Agency.  He said his housing is furnished by the government. He told me that people in the country were much less well off than those in cities; that they had no government health protection and that a serious illness might require a family to sell off all it owns. I was surprised at this; sounds familiar!

I sure regret I did not get to meet his wife and little boy the night he brought them over. They knocked on our doors and thought we had gone to bed; but actually we were late eating that night and were downstairs. When he and Connie came to our rooms to wind up business before we left Fuzhou, I showed him on the U.S. map where we lived--- Iowa, Wisconsin, and Tennessee. He was quite interested and seemed delighted when I gave him the map, as well as the paperback atlas I had brought along as a possible gift.  I gave the wooden jig saw puzzle to Connie for the orphanage. I had brought 2 tiny books as gifts; I gave the one on North American Indian wisdom to Ping and the one on earth wisdom to Connie.

Back to Monday's trip: we had lunch in a real Chinese restaurant in Fuzhou. They served some things we had never seen before! I liked it; but I find many Americans don't like Chinese food. There were tanks where you could see the fish to be cooked. First served was a selection of small bowls with hord'eurve type things like sweet red pepper strips. There were dumplings, steamed buns, spring rolls, and I wish I could remember more.  I liked a kind of stiff gelatin, slightly sweet and greenish or brown in color.  As at the Dynasty, the food was placed on a "lazy-suzan" which revolved.  We had heard that groups usually had a banquet one night, but ours was this luncheon. I'm glad it was a different restaurant from the hotel.

The rest of the day was free. I believe this was the time we went to a nearby grocery store for some snacks and saw a very interesting street market on the way. I really regret I didn't do more exploring on foot. That night I bought a book at the hotel book counter.  The book on the Chinese New Year, which I had considered was gone. (Later I learned why!)  Books in Fuzhou (hotel) were inexpensive compared to Guanghou's White Swan gift shop.

Tuesday Aug. 13, 1996
This morning about 7:30 AM, I went with Sally, Brian and the boys to the little park area at the corner of the lake where we had heard they did "Tai Chi" every morning. When we arrived, no Tai Chi was going on (it was probably earlier) but people were dancing to music from a loud speaker! They were mostly older people, and, judging from the number of bikes parked near-by, they must have come from places other than the neighborhood. It was fun to watch them dance there under the rounded arch and the Banyan trees. Near-by was a street market lined with street vendors of fresh vegetables and fruit. A little incident happened there when I decided to buy some of those delicious, little, sweet bananas from a vendor. He spoke no English (and I, no Chinese), and had no calculator to indicate his price. He weighed my selection on a little hand scale and held up first 2 fingers then 5.   I did not understand, and there's no bill for 5 Yuan, so I offered him 10Yuan.  He took it and seemed to expect more.  Not having time to divide by 8.4 and thus realize how much I was paying, I gave another 10 Yuan and I think he would have taken more had not a young middle-aged Chinese woman come over. I don't know exactly what she said, but he was dressed down and chewed out ----"shown the error of his ways"; he immediately gave me my bananas!  I thanked her in English and touched her arm to show my appreciation. (I hope she didn't take offense; Chinese shun any physical contact, I understand.)  The bananas were delicious and I paid only a little over $2.00 for them. I remembered of this incident later at home, when I read a quote from a writer, Meng Yuan Loo writing in 1147 AD about another Chinese city: (a free translation): "The sentiment generally cherished was friendship. If an out-of-towner was mistreated by a city resident, an indignant crowd would come to help��   Well, I didn't have an indignant crowd, but I did have 1 concerned woman!

The rest of the morning was taken with business tied to tomorrow's departure; paying the hotel and the travel agent for 10 days in Fuzhou. In the afternoon, Sally, Dolly and Bob, and I (Brian kept the children) took a taxi to Xichan Temple in the western part of the city.  Our driver was very concerned to see that we knew exactly where to go when we arrived. It is a large complex with many buildings, some still under construction. The writer of the BLUE GUIDE expresses concern that there is so much re-building instead of restoring going on. This is being done with the help of Overseas Chinese money. She says that between 1981 and 1987, most of the earlier Qing buildings were rebuilt.  Xichan goes back to 867 AD as a Buddhist site, and since 933 AD its official name has been Changqing (Lengthy Celebration). It covers a large area, has over 40 buildings, has a grove of over 100 old lychee trees beside the temple where the monks held cultural events. When someone says he is "eating Yi mountain lychees" it means he is going to a cultural event. I didn't recognize the lychees, but it was an attractive place with a lake and several rainbow bridges, tall pagodas, and traditional style buildings. In front of one of the temples was a trough full of water where the lotus water lily, Buddhist symbol of purity, was blooming. There were some very old Banyan trees on the grounds, one having huge limbs almost touching the ground and propped up with supports.

Something was going on in the temple courtyard while we were there. A gathering of people seemed to be participating in some kind of ceremony over which a priest or monk presided. In addition to burning incense, they seemed to be burning what appeared to be money (bills). Later Ping corroborated what I suspected that we were probably seeing a funeral, though there was no body visible. Monks lived in this place; we heard beautiful singing or chanting. Garments were spread to dry on shrubs.

On one occasion Ping-was asked if Chinese people wondered why Americans were adopting so many Chinese children, and whether they approved or not. He said some were suspicious of the motives e.g. to use them in medical experiments, or to sell into slavery. But most were pleased that the children would be given homes and opportunities in America.

Wednesday, Aug. 14, 1996
The last day began with a walk to the department store (we had trouble finding it). I wanted a bag like Thelma had bought for $11 to carry my purchases in. It was a good buy. We also bought some tea in the grocery dept.  I took a picture of a street side meat shop with chickens hanging up by the neck on the way back. Later, scrutiny of my picture made me wonder if poultry was dressed on the spot when the customer bought it; there was a chopping block and a cleaver. They must sell quickly; they couldn't last long in that heat.

Luckily, I had utilized free time yesterday to take pictures of our hotel grounds.  I was fascinated by the tile Ying&Yang symbol in the pond.  You could step out to it by means of smaller stepping stones in the water and we took pictures of ourselves standing on the ancient Daoist symbol of balance in nature.   Behind the Ying&Yang pond was the pretty waterfall behind which Ben and Zach liked to play.  Beside the waterfall was a monstrous boulder with 2 Chinese characters carved into it and painted red. I took a picture of the small pagoda on the grounds as well as the nearby building under construction with bamboo scaffolding. Other things I wanted to remember in photos were: the stone lions on the bridge railings and the view from there of the rocks and caves where Ben and Zach (and I) liked to play;  the jagged bridge supported by piles in the water leading to a small, elaborate, open pagoda type building (very new, I'm sure).  Dolly and I both took pictures of the Chinese style restroom on the grounds; we used my little Chinese word book to figure out which one said "Women" , but it really didn't matter for no one was near.  It was a simple white tile trench, perhaps more sanitary than ours, as Dolly noted. On Wednesday, I took some pictures at our last wonderful buffet breakfast in Fuzhou, including the omelet chefs. Then I hastened to photograph the interesting pictures, in lacquer? on the marble walls of the lobby.

I also found time to go back to the little West Lake shop where I had admired and bargained for an antique blue and white porcelain tea jar. I decided to get it --- just one of the pair for 150 Yuan! And, believe it or not, I got packed up and ready to go in plenty of time for our late afternoon flight to Guangzhou.  I feel a touch of sadness when I think back to that day for I know I may never go back.

Fuzhou means  "City of Good Fortune" or "City of Happiness" and it was, for me.( Actually I think it is named for the Fu Mountains around it.) It is located on the Min River, some 25 miles from the coast.  It has long been a major port, protected from coastal typhoons. It was not a part of the Chinese Empire until the Tang Dynasty when in 725 AD, it received its name. Before that it was a part of the Kingdom of Min and known as Minzhou.  It is home to a number of industries including paper-making, foodstuffs, especially jasmine and other teas, handicrafts, notably lacquerware and stone carving.

Again we made the interesting drive through the drab outskirts of Fuzhou to the airport, where we said our good-byes to Connie and Ping, and boarded the plane for Guangzhou.

Guangzhou
We traveled to Guangzhou (Canton) via Xiamen Airline, about a 1 hour flight, yet we were served a meal en route. As we boarded the plane we heard the strains of "Somewhere over the rainbow" coming over the PA system.

At no time on the whole trip were we required to open our suitcases except when the X-ray showed aerosol cans in Dolly and Bob's luggage. As soon as they saw it was shaving cream and insect repellant, it was OK. They didn't detect my aerosol insect repellant. I was never bothered by mosquitoes on the whole trip except once on the tour of Guangzhou when I felt a mosquito bite me. It didn't even raise a bump. It was a different story with Dolly.

On arrival at Guangzhou we were transported to the White Swan Hotel on Shamian Island. I guess this was about the biggest and most beautiful hotel I've stayed in. It was late and we were tired, so we didn't do much but get settled in our rooms that night. We did get mini-pizzas in the River Garden Coffee Shop.  There was a little confusion about rooms, but it was straightened out pretty quickly.   Rooms were smaller here but very nice. I had an extra bed again and Ben shared the room with me. (Zach was going to swap with him the 2nd night but Zach just couldn't take being away from his mama and daddy in this strange country.) Ben watched a lot of TV.  His tastes weren't exactly mine!  We had a large choice of stations in Guangzhou, many from Hong Kong. I had to draw the line on one or two that were too violent for me.

Thurs. Aug. 15, 1996
The first day in Guangzhou was rainy (as were all others but one), and dark and dreary. Summer is the rainy season. But at least there was no typhoon! (There had been one somewhere in the area before we arrived)  Since it was raining, only the parents went with the babies for their physicals.  Dolly and I explored the White Swan Hotel a bit.  I think the boys and Bob went to' the swimming pool.  The lobby is huge, it reminds me a little of the Opryland Hotel atrium with all the tropical plants indoors.  As you enter, the desk is on the right and a huge jade carving of an old sailing vessel is to the left center. I suppose it is to symbolize Canton's long history as a seaport. Further down, the lobby splits into 2 levels, with a large open area surrounded by balconies draped with vines. At the far end is a waterfall tumbling over large boulders with Chinese characters on them, into a pool below. At the top of the waterfalls is an open pagoda type structure. The view from the stairway (to the lower level) landing is quite impressive and a favorite spot for pictures.� The upper level balcony on the left contains a cocktail lounge (where I used my free coupon for a delicious non-alcoholic fruit drink), and beyond that the "Songbird Living Room", which contains a large cage full of songbirds.  The sofas in front of the cage provided the background when we took pictures of the 5 babies and the individual families on the day before we left. (Rene�, Mike and Matea went home early.)

The stairway to the lower level descended to the entrance of the River Garden Restaurant.  There you crossed a little bridge over the pool which contained lots of fish. This restaurant overlooks the Pearl River as does the "Songbird" above. The river side is all glass and this is where our buffet breakfast which again went with the room, was served. It was very good and perhaps more oriented toward western tastes than the Lakeside's had been. There was an Asian buffet breakfast served upstairs in the "Songbird" but we were expected to use the one below. We had some Asian specialties, e.g. congee, steamed buns, etc.  The fruit table was wonderful; there was fresh pineapple and always watermelon, yellow and red. This restaurant also had bowls of canned fruit-- a mixture including peaches and lychee nuts. Lychee nuts are a fruit related to the longyan nuts which we bought from fruit stands. Lychees must be less plentiful than longyans, and they are red instead of brown. I only saw from the bus a vendor selling them in Fuzhou.

That first morning in Guangzhou, Dolly and I saw one of the swimming pools and the well-equipped exercise room; but we never got back to use it. We visited the "Shopping Arcade" beneath the lobby area. There were numerous shops with beautiful wares, which spilled over into a common area. These were mostly large items such as lacquer screens with mother-of-pearl inlay; stone and jade sculptures of horses, lions and Buddhas; and ornate carved chests.  I understand Tim and the Burke�s bought one of the chests and had it shipped home, along with a fancy birdcage for someone else. I thought this area looked more like a museum than a shopping arcade, but I'm sure everything had a price.  I expected everything to be very expensive, but I bought a hand-embroidered linen blouse for $11.00; it was too good to pass up.  We looked at a beautiful rug; I would have liked it and Dolly & Bob considered it too. I had already bought a lot in Fuzhou and didn't want to ship it.� Books were expensive here but I wanted to get some folktales so I bought a paperback DRAGON TALES. The night before departure I went back and bought a book on Chinese herbal medicine which had fascinated me; this was a mistake; it was way overpriced. I later saw it for half my purchase price in the Hong Kong airport. What I should have done was copy the title, author and publisher and get it in the U.S. It was published in Hong Kong, but I did not know if it was available, and I continue to enjoy the book.

Dolly and I left the hotel despite the rain and visited a tiny shop near-by, where the shopkeeper/owner? was a very attractive and pleasant young woman who gladly posed for pictures with us. She had long black hair and a pretty smile.  She spoke some English and had an unusual voice or way of speaking. She wouldn't come down much on her prices, said they were already low as she could go. I wish I had bought one of her "dragon T-shirts to wear into the 21st century"! (see photo)  It was at this shop I saw the thin silk panel with white lotus and mandarin ducks and decided I must have it. Later we went back and I bought the silk panel as well as 2 small silk pictures and 2 drawings of the Guilin area, noted for its beautiful mountains. The drawings were on rice paper mounted on blue silk. She even gave me the name of the artist and where he lived.

Thursday night we had dinner at the "Tree Restaurant" near the hotel and recommended by our 2 Holt escorts who had met us at the plane. It gets its name from a large Banyan tree, which has been incorporated into the building. There was outdoor as well indoor seating. This is a tropical climate, and food preparation was going on outside too. We saw cages with frogs and eels waiting to be prepared ---also snakes! Canton is noted for the unusual variety of meats prepared for eating. I took slides, one of a man cutting up bloody fish.  We ate indoors; it was noisy and smoky and nobody spoke English. It had a tile floor and was quite different from the elegant hotel restaurants. I don't think Dolly enjoyed it at all. But I thought it quite interesting and my vegetable stir-fry was very good and inexpensive (ca$8.00). The place was crowded with Chinese people, most of who were ordering the same dish: a soup or stew served from what I later learned from my Chinese cookbook, is called a "sandy pot".  I wish I had tried it; it might have been turtle soup. The waitress first ladled some liquid into the bowl, then what appeared to be pieces of meat were added.

Friday Aug. 16, 1996
This morning it was still raining, but it wasn't pouring, so we all went with the babies to the U.S. Consulate to take care of their visas to the United States. Holt representatives were with us: Eva, the Chinese girl, and Barb, the American. Barb said her husband was in Guangzhou as a student of Chinese traditional medicine. Later, on a walk, I noticed a "Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine."  It had a pretty exterior facade of green and white tile. I would have liked to go inside for a tour.

I suppose the reason they put us up in such an elegant hotel was its convenience to the Consulate, just a short walk. The older man, consul I suppose, talked with each family (parents) individually, asking them questions. He seemed too genial and fatherly to be a foreign service diplomat (my preconceived idea of one!)

I have mentioned the hotel being on Shamian Island, one side of which, borders the wide Pearl River and the harbor, the other side bordering a narrow waterway which separates the island from the rest of the city. My room (8th floor, I believe) overlooked the river and harbor---a beautiful view photographed several times. Dolly and Bob's room was across the hall overlooking the city.

The White Swan Hotel was built in 1982, according to information in my room. This was just a short time after the end of the Cultural Revolution. The book in my room also said it was where President Nixon and other dignitaries stayed when in China.

From the glass fa�ade dining room at breakfast, we saw little boats plying their way on the river. There had been much flooding upstream and the water was muddy and had many green plants in it. (Binoculars revealed bunches of lotus leaves.) On one of these boats, a man was busy raking this green stuff onto his deck, where he had quite a pile of it.  We joked that maybe those greens we had for breakfast were supplied by him.

After snacking for lunch in Dolly & Bob's room following the consulate visit, we decided to walk over to Qingping Market, just a short distance over the Renmin Bridge. This part of Guangzhou looked old and run down, but there are more modern parts which we saw later.  Shaiman Island itself was occupied by the British and French during the latter 19th century, and some of their colonial buildings remain.  Shaiman is a small island and much of it is green way today.  The hotel is a modern high rise.  (I don't think I took a picture.) At one time no Chinese was allowed on the island after dark! Imagine! This was after the Opium Wars which China lost.  It was to Guangzhou (Canton) that Fuzhou native Lin Zexu was sent to enforce the prohibition of use and import of opium in 1838. Here he burned 20,000 chests of opium brought in by the British traders because it balanced the Chinese exports they wanted to buy. He then proceeded to drive the British to Hong Kong, but it was to no avail because the superior British fleet easily blockaded the coast and won the ensuing war. As a result of the Treaty of Nanking, China was opened up to foreigners.

Back to the Qingping Market, here was a "culture shock" if we hadn't had one before! We saw only half of it that day, but it was the part with all kinds of animals being sold for consumption ------fish, cats, rats, snakes, eels, turtles, frogs, raccoons, insects--you name it!

We walked back to the hotel past the "Memorial to the Martyrs of the Shaji Massacre" where on June 23, 1925, British and French soldiers shot 23 Chinese workers who were demonstrating for closing the rival port of Hong Kong.

Friday Night we had a delightful eating experience at the "Taste of China", one of the restaurants in the White Swan. It was just our family and Bob treated. At the entrance to the restaurant, a chef was demonstrating the making of noodles.  He would toss a lump of dough back and forth lightning fast until it strung out; then he cut it into noodles. I thought I got a good photo but the action was so fast that my 100 speed film captured only a blur for the dough (like the cricket cage). This restaurant specialized in the 3 styles of Chinese cuisine other than Cantonese. (There was another restaurant for that). I ordered a Shanghai style dish of eels, but this was a mistake because no one but me would touch it! Remember, that in China, dishes are shared family style. Also remember that we had just seen live eels at Qingping Market! I think Dolly did taste it to please me, but reluctantly.  I thought it was pretty good, just tasted like fish. They enjoyed their dishes (Bob's Sichuan style dish was too hot even for him, but he mixed it with some bland noodles); we all enjoyed the special kind of tea served there. A covered teacup contained what appeared to be dried flowers and pods in addition to tea leaves; I'm now sure part of it was jasmine tea. Then a colorfully dressed waitress with a kettle having at least a 3 foot long spout filled each cup with boiling water. She had to be skillful with her aim to hit the cup and not our laps!  Close to our table was a pretty young woman in an elaborate, long pink satin dress playing a zither-like instrument.

The hotel lobby (with its waterfall and pagoda) was lit up like a Christmas tree at night. I liked it better in the daytime. After a bit of walking around, we retired to our rooms.

Saturday Aug. 17, 1996
Despite the rainy weather, we walked to the Nanfang Department Store; some of the parents were needing supplies. We crossed the bridge and walked south(?) along the Pearl River, then crossed the street via an overpass (this was the opposite direction from the Qingping Market)  .Finally, we found the store. ; it was similar to the one in Fuzhou --maybe a tad larger.

Everywhere we went in China, I was impressed by the large numbers of people---- on the streets, in parks, in department stores. I thought about Liu Zongren's book TWO YEARS IN THE MELTING POT which, I had read before the trip. He, a native of Beijing studying in the U.S. , expressed surprise at how few people were on the streets even in a large city like Washington, D.C. He couldn't believe he was almost alone in a large department store he visited there. We were far from alone in Nanfang store! It is , of course, government owned and prices are fixed (unlike the Qingping Market). They had a large electronics department, including cameras and so forth.

In the camera department, I decided to get Martha a camera for a Christmas present. I was so pleased with mine from Hong Kong, and knew by then that we would not be spending any time there on the way back. There was a similar one (thought not a Fuji) for sale and I was told I could use my Visa. But----you must have a passport for identification and my passport was back in the hotel lock box! Because of their black market value, we had all put ours there. I didn't think about this until after I had already signed the Visa ticket. What to do?! I managed to borrow enough cash from Bob to eke out mine for the purchase price. Dolly thought I should tear up the Visa slip to avoid being charged twice. The clerks spoke no English and we no Chinese; yet they got across to us, that since the transaction had gone into their computer, they must issue a credit to cancel it, which they did. They were very pleasant about it all, even though here we were, about to mess up their bookkeeping!

We walked back to the hotel in the rain. Sally bought an umbrella for Ben and Zach. We returned the way we had come, back across the Pearl River and over to the island.  This time, we noticed a restaurant just before we reached the hotel with "Chicago Cafe" written below the Chinese character.

Everywhere in China, we saw eye-catching trash containers! Back in Fuzhou we had been able to toss trash into a ferocious lion's mouth. Here in Canton, near the hotel, there were less dignified ones-----colorful plastic fish or other animals whose mouths received your trash. In general, I found places we visited reasonably clean. Even the markets with all the animals weren't too bad. And, it has occurred to me afterward, that I didn't see as many flies as I would have expected in a hot, humid climate with lots of open markets. Back in Fuzhou, we had been repulsed by seeing rats along the side street we frequented. Someone reported seeing a man take a rat out of a trap and throw it alongside the street. I figure they had trash collection along the streets everyday, because the few rats seen were recently dead, and there was no smell. (Rats are not exactly unknown in our country!) There was an unpleasant fishy odor at one point on the side street near the lake; I never figured exactly where it came from. Now, back to Guangzhou --------

Tonight, it was my treat at another Chinese restaurant in the White Swan, this one the Cantonese style cuisine. (Most Chinese restaurants in the United States are Cantonese style or an American imitation thereof.) This one had a large central room with a big, square fish pond in the middle. Around the pool were a few ornate cages containing songbirds. Several smaller dining rooms surrounded and we were seated in one of these all to ourselves. I ordered stir-fried scallops and celery, not too exotic this time. We had delicious jasmine tea, and I think everyone enjoyed himself. A number of pictures were taken , one of all of us by our waitress, who was also photographed along with her young man helper. Before dinner was over Mari was asleep in a makeshift bed comprised of 2 chairs pushed together! This restaurant had a musician playing the same stringed instrument. She too was beautifully dressed and made-up--- looked a bit theatrical.  As we left, the 2 colorfully dressed hostesses let us take their picture. I think the Chinese must really like bright red; it is everywhere.  One night we used our coupons for a drink at the bar overlooking the river, adjacent to the Songbird Living Room. I had a delicious non-alcoholic tropical fruit drink, specialty of the White Swan.  As I recall, The music being played (at a piano) was American jazz.

Sunday Aug. 18, 1996
I took a number of photos this morning at breakfast, which was leisurely and delightful as usual. Someone took me holding Tim's little Christina.

Then we took the tour of Guangzhou, which had been arranged the day before at the hotel travel office. The Holt adoption agency representatives did not take us sightseeing as they had in Fuzhou; we were on our own. Only our family plus Dale and Thelma wanted to go---9 people. We had a van and a guide named Traci. We paid about $15 apiece but I thought it well worth it.

I thought Traci said Guangzhou had 10 million people but my 1995 guidebook says 2.7 million. Maybe that figure was for the whole province of Guandong.   I knew from my reading that Guangzhou has been very important in the Revolutionary history of China. Chiang Kai-shek had his base there in 1927 and ordered the killing of over 5000 workers. The same year he began his "Northern Expedition" to take the rest of China.  There is a memorial to this event but it was not on our tour. Mao Zedong himself lived and worked here. We didn't get to see the "National Peasant Movement Institute" where he taught principles of guerrilla warfare in 1926 and after.   Traci said that Canton was 2,210 years old; I have read that a wall enclosed the city for the first time in 214 BC. It became an important seaport during the Tang Dynasty. This was when much of southern China was being incorporated into the Chinese Empire, including Mari's home province Fujian. Because of Canton�s status as a seaport, it has long had greater connections with the West than the rest of China. It was much involved in the opium trade in the mid-19th century. It was here that Fuzhou's native son and national hero Lin Zexu destroyed the shipment of opium brought in by the British in 1840."

The first stop on the tour was the "temple of the Six Banyan Trees" --Liurong Si. (I had asked that this be substituted for the Qingping Market (to which we could easily walk.). The temple site goes back to 537A.D., but the buildings are more recent. The most famous building is the Flower Pagoda, which appears to have 9 stories, but inside one finds 17 floors. We didn't climb the stairs.  Dolly got a good picture of the lower part of it; it was hard to get far enough away to get all of it.   The main temple contained the 3 huge, gold Buddhas, identical except for subtle differences, especially the position of the hands. Each Buddha represents respectively the past, the present, and the future. In another temple there was another Buddha with a smaller female form in front of him amidst many vases with flower offerings. This is the one to whom women who want children pray. At the entrance to a complex, there is always the jolly, big-bellied laughing figure (he is not a Buddha, but a god). There is much about Buddhism and its Chinese variations that I don't understand. Traci said the present buildings date to the Song Dynasty when the poet Su Dongpo is said to have named the temple for the 6 Banyan trees, which impressed him in 1099! He wrote the name in calligraphy, a major art form in ancient China. The original trees are gone, I'm sure, but there are still Banyan trees as well as a pomegranate.  Buddha is said to have been sitting under a Banyan tree, which is in the fig family, when he achieved enlightenment.

We paddled our way through the rain back to the bus. We went next to Yuexiu Park to see the "Monument of the Five Rams" atop a hill. At the foot, a large boulder is covered with Chinese characters relating the legend which inspired the sculpture.  It seems that 5 celestial beings (angels) riding upon 5 goats came to the town to become Guangzhou.  They brought with them 5 sprigs of rice, thus introducing agriculture and its benefits to the region. Guangzhou's nickname is "Goat City".

From the park, we traveled a short distance to visit the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall.  The hall built in 1930, on the site of the home of the first president of the Republic of China, who died in 1925. Traci told us he is much revered in China, much like our George Washington. I guess I was a bit surprised since it was his successor in the Nationalist Party (Kuomintang) who was defeated by the Communists in 1949. This successor was, of course, Chiang Kai-shek.  The building is impressive--a Chinese style octagon with a beautiful blue tile roof. Inside is an auditorium, which seats over 4,000 and is used for all kinds of public events. At the back of the stage is a stone tablet commemorating Dr. Sun. It was here, at a souvenir stand outside, that I bought the little red, dragon-faced turtle with a little turtle on its shell and money (coins) beneath. I didn't recognize the little cone-shaped objects until William Baker noted they were silver ingots. Some of the coins are square with a hole in center. The whole sculpture is composed of "Su Mountain Stone", according to Traci, our guide, who wrote it in Chinese and English in my notebook. The vendor said it symbolized longevity and good fortune, and he lowered his price from 80 yuan to 60.

It was at this stop that we visited a special teashop. Dale Howard and I lingered behind the others and were given a cup of tea!  I decided to buy a small red canister of jasmine tea. It was rather expensive at 150 yuan but smelled wonderful!

Lastly, Traci took us to the Chen Family Ancestral Temple, a little distance from the central part of the city where the first stops had been. I am still a little puzzled about this place; it didn't seem like a temple and the MAVERICK GUIDE TO CHINA suggests that it was established in the 1890's as a school for Chen family scholars. At any rate, Chen family members from all over the province funded its construction [and restoration?]. The ornate roof tile decorations comprise dragons, chariots, lions, gods and goddesses, etc. all massed together on red brick. I understand this is characteristic of southern Chinese architecture. We got a bunch of photos in the courtyard (one with Zach wearing his new Mao cap); but they don't do justice to that elaborate roof. Inside the buildings is a museum display, which fascinated me. One of the guidebooks said it was a handicraft exhibit; it certainly contained some works of art---beautiful blue and white pottery, a huge ink stone, intricate carved ivory or bone, delicate insects and fish carved out of jade? or rock crystal, and an ornate gold pagoda. I had to reload my camera here, got behind the group, and thus was hurried in my picture-taking!  I'm sure glad I lagged behind to get some. Again the captions in the cases were unfortunately only in Chinese!

Guangzhou is noted for its cuisine. A Chinese proverb says: "You should be born in Suzhou, live in Hanzhou, die in Luzhou, but you should eat in Guangzhou. "  I wish we could have tried more of the famous restaurants. I've mentioned that many unusual meats are served. We passed on the bus a restaurant which obviously specialized in turtle. And on foot, we passed a place which, judging from the window display, specialized in snake! But I don't think it was the famous Shesanguan snake restaurant; the map indicated it was on a different street.

Sunday night we used some coupons on pizzas in the SongSird, and had Ceylon fruit tea served in very practical individual pots.  We talked about looking for them in the department store.

Monday Aug. 19, 1996
Well, our last day and finally there was no rain. There was beautiful sunshine instead.  At breakfast I took a� picture of the swollen river at last in sunshine. Little boats were still raking in the green plants from upstream.

At 10:00, we met at the Birdcage to take pictures of the babies and their new families. The 5 babies were placed side by side on the red sofa.  (Rene, Mike and Matea, the 6th baby had already left China.)  Many pictures were taken. I got some good ones of the 5 babies together as well as some of family groups.  The one of the Schroeder's and newest member turned out well.

Today our family walked again to Qing Ping Market, that fascinating place! I took slide pictures of chickens packed in cages, raccoons, turtles of all shapes and sizes, crabs, eels, frogs, some kind of insect (beetle), as well as fish and more usual types of food. I even saw a cage with cats! Maybe they were for pets.  Actually, I have learned since the trip that those beetles were probably for pets.  This time we went the full length of the market including a vegetarian section and one of medicinal remedies. I am sure the dried seahorses and lizards fell into this category.  There were also some good buys in pearls at the market. At the end of the market, we saw a man displaying what appeared to be a tiger's paw. Bob asked if he could take a photo, but the man gestured "no". We suspected that it was illegal to sell that, since the tiger is an endangered species.  But this has been a part of Chinese medicine from ancient times.

Most everybody went hack to the hotel then, but Dolly and I walked to the jade market and the antique market. These were both alleyways off the main street ----very interesting, much activity. I was afraid I couldn't judge the value of things for sale here, but I did buy (bargain for 75 yuan) a white jade necklace which I think is very pretty.

At one point on this walk, we stumbled upon a Buddhist temple, which still puzzles me. It had the usual things: 3 gold Buddhas, a female Buddha, alters and offerings, incense censer in the courtyard; but it also had something we had not seen before ---row after row of statues, obviously not Buddhas. Many of these reddish-colored figures had offerings of fruit (e.g. Longyan nuts) or money (bills) placed in their hands or laps. One statue consisted of a man with a child sitting on his lap. My only clue to this scene is in THE BLUE GUIDE TO CHINA, which mentions a "Hualin (Flourishing Grove) Temple" founded in 526 A.D. and visited by the famous Indian monk Bodhidharma who inspired the Chinese form of Buddhism known as Chen (Zen).  "....and the most notable feature is the group of 500 lohans in the main hall which is said to include Marco Polo in a broad-brimmed hat."   I have looked unsuccessfully in every dictionary I have for the word "lohan" But I learned from some other reading that a lohan is a Buddhist who has achieved Nirvana, but has chosen to remain in society in order to help others. (Maybe it is something like the saints in the Catholic Church.) I don't understand how Marco Polo fits in.

On this last afternoon, I wanted to visit the"0rchid Garden". I persuaded Bob and Dolly to go with me by cab. Our cab let us out across the wide street and some distance from the entrance; he may not have known exactly where the entrance was. It was scary to cross the street in the heavy traffic.  If cars, bicycles, motorcycles, and busses & cars created heavy traffic in Fuzhou, it was twice as bad in Guangzhou! But we made it across without benefit of a traffic light and fi'nally found the entrance to this botanical garden. After urging Dolly and Bob to go, I was embarrassed to find there were no orchids in bloom this time of year.  But I enjoyed this quiet, peaceful and lush tropical garden with its Chinese gazebos and moon gates, ponds and teahouse where we were served hot tea on this extremely hot, muggy day. But the most interesting experience was the man who spoke very little English (No one else here did either), but who took us under his wing and showed us around. It turned out that worked there; he told us he took school groups learning about botany, on tours of the garden. I think I impressed him with my botanic knowledge when I recognized the spider lily (hymenocallis) and told him we have it in the United States! He really went out of his way to help us. We were under pressure of time to be back by 6 PM , since our whole group was planning to have dinner together at the "Taste of China" on this our last night together. It proved a slow taxi ride through the clogged and noisy streets of evening traffic ---quite a contrast to the tranquillity of the Orchid Garden. There were bikes, motorcycles, busses and cars (especially taxis) inching along, horns blowing constantly. We made it by the skin of our teeth and enjoyed a nice farewell dinner.

Tuesday Aug. 20, 1996
Next morning after early breakfast, we were taken to the airport for the short flight to Hong Kong via South China Airlines. On the way to the airport, I noticed a very large billboard with the smiling face of Deng Xiaoping.  Hong Kong is only 68 miles from Guangzhou. I think there is some fear that after Hong Kong becomes a part of China next year, that Guangzhou may diminish in importance.  I suspect that eventually they will become like one city.

We had a longer stay at the Hong Kong airport than anticipated; our flight was delayed about 4 hours. It took 12 hours to reach Los Angeles. I was near the family on this flight; also I was able to move about more. Tim and Christina were on the same flight. In LA Dolly and Bob and I parted from the rest (or was it Chicago?) and arrived Des Moines 20 minutes to 9:00. Julie was there to meet us and take us to the friend's house where they had left the car. It was quite late when we arrived in Marshalltown. I stayed the next day, which we spent sleeping for the most part, catching up on the 13 hour time difference. They took me to Des Moines the next day , where we had breakfast with Julie before I caught my plane home.

Some Thoughts about the Babies:

Although all the babies were from Fujian Province, there was a great deal of ethnic variation. Mari was perhaps the least Asian looking; the flight attendants on the flight hack said they would have thought her Sallys biological child.

I commented to Beverly that Ivey was a lucky baby. Her response was that they were the lucky ones to have her. What a wonderful attitude for all parents to have toward their children!

Some of the adopting parents discovered early on that their baby was already potty-trained! Ivey's rash on her bottom, was diagnosed by the Chinese pediatrician as allergy to diapers. She wasn't used to wearing them! Chinese babies wear split pants which makes it easy to put them on the potty.

The babies were quite "good" the whole time we were together.� There was little crying except when they were sick. They responded we11 to being held by all of us. Little Mari had a cold--- I could feel the rattle in her chest that first day, yet she cried very little.

I inquired of various people what they would remember about China. I asked Ben and Zach what they would tell Mari someday when she became older.  Ben said, surprisingly to me, that he would remember the food. Zach said, on the last day, that he would remember the waterfall and the temple. I think he meant the waterfall at the Lakeside Hotel, which they played behind, rather than the one in White Swan. Ben later said he would remember the computer game place where there were other children his age. I wish I had gone inside since it made such an impression on him.  Dolly said she guessed she would remember the masses of people on the streets and all the bikes and motorbikes. Bob was interested, among other things, in the construction methods being used. He said they were at least 50 years behind us.  I was surprised to see so much construction /reconstruction going on ---of both buildings and roads. I wasn't expecting to see so many modern buildings especially in a relatively small town like Fuzhou.  I will remember many of the same things they mentioned, but also the Buddhist temples we saw, and the Qing Ping Market.
by Ann Goodpasture


BOOKS AND FILMS I READ OR CONSULTED OR VIEWED

Carter, Alden. CHINA PAST, CHINA FUTURE. Watts, 1994

Glubok, ART OF CHINA

Jenkins, Peter. ACROSS CHINA. Morrow, 1986.

Liu Zongren. TWO YEARS IN THE MELTING POT. China Books, 1984.

Morton, W. Scott. CHINA, ITS HISTORY AND CULTURE. McGraw-Hill, 1995.

Sinclair, Kevin. CULTURE SHOCK: CHINA. Graphic Arts, 1990.

Smart, Nlnian. THE LONG SEARCH. Littler Brown, 1977, p.250-268�

Smith/Bradley, CHINA: A HISTORY IN ART. Harper & Row, [1972]

Zheng Shifeng [et al] CHINA. McGraw-Hill, 1980.

Guides:

Nelles. CHINA, 1995.
BLUE GUIDE TO CHINA (by Frances Wood) London, A&C Black, 1992
Maverick guide to Hong Kong [etc.] Gretna, 1995

Fiction

Buck, Pearl S. THE GOOD EARTH. N.Y., John Day, 1931.
Lord, Bette Bao. SPRING MOON. N.Y., Harper & Row, 1981.

Films

The Heart of the dragon (Series) films about various areas of Chinese life
The Joy-luck club.
The Good Earth
Ju Dou
The last emperor
The sand pebbles
Farewell My Concubine
Story of Qui Ju (only attempt at comedy I saw --- pokes a little fun at the bureaucracy)