Guangzhou At Last

Hello from Southern China!

It's 10pm here so that means it's mid morning to most of you back in the States.  We are on our third of four cities in our whirlwind tour of China.  Today, we flew into the big GZ.  And although we are told it's only twice as big as Nanchang (12 mil vs 6 mil) it FEELS a lot bigger.  First clue, air conditioned airport!  Not only was the terminal air-conditioned but so was the skyway that led from the plane to the terminal!  A far cry from Nanchang, which felt more like a third world country - sweltering terminal, hoofing it across the tarmac and hauling our carry-ons up the LBJ stairs into the airplane. GZ is a huge metropolis by comparison and much more multicultural.  What's more the sidewalks are intact here, which is more than I can say for the last place.  No more schlepping for block after block in mud that really smells like something…more organic… just to get bottled water and a just-off tasting Sprite.

 

We are staying in the same Marriott we stayed in two years ago with Tyson – the room layout is exactly the same – so there is something comforting about it.  We knew where to eat and how to get around the massive lobby and where the 7-11, Starbucks and McD's are.  I know, very American of me, but we've been living it up China style for a week, I want a Starbucks coffee and free wifi!!!

 

Tomorrow we take Lucy for the dreaded medical check-up where she will be poked and prodded by masked, but well intentioned, health officials and more than likely get some shots.  This was the location and occasion for Tyson's first major meltdown two years ago.  He thrashed and bit and peed and screamed at the top of his lungs for over an hour, which is long time when you are in a public space with a kid.  So, needless to say we are a bit leery about what tomorrow will bring with the infinitely more tear-prone Lucy.  Ugh.

 

Speaking of the wee one, she has made major strides in working through her grief these last two days but especially today.  She is just a happier little girl – more prone to laughter then tears.  She does this great thing where she snaps her head back and laughs at the sky when she thinks she has done something cute or clever.  It makes my heart leap to see her with such joy. She has cried so much I feared she stay that way forever.  When she's happy her eyes get really huge and she has this way of looking at you that just melts you – then she grabs the chopsticks ou of your hands and pours the steamed eggs in your lap!  Yeah, she's a spicy one – we're in trouble.

 

We went to the Cantonese place on the first floor of the hotel tonight – they gave us a private alcove all to ourselves and I can't help but wonder if they weren't tucking us away so Kid Dynamo and Princess Pee wouldn't disturb the rest of the customers…nah, that can't be it.  Food was decent but we've had better Chinese since we got here, especially for the price.  That was one thing about Nanchang I will give them credit for – great food for cheap!  Anyways, I'm popping a few Zantac and a Cipro tonight to cover all the bases – let's just say that all our systems are a little "travel weary" at this point.  Nuff said.

 

I will attach a few pics my dad took – one of us in a water-ride at the People's Park in Nanchang yesterday.  All the characters had a striking resemblance to the movie"Shark Tales" with Jack Black and Will Smith – except the colors were a little different – just-off like the Sprite I mentioned earlier.  And they were playing "It's a Small World" instead of "Carwash".  They do that a lot here, especially with Disney stuff, and you look at it and think, Can they do that? Isn't that some sort of copyright infringement?  But no one's stopping them so I guess it isn't worth the fight for the big Dis.

 

The other pic is self-explanatory.  Melt!!!

 

Alright, enough already.  It feels like 2 in the morning and I'm doing the blogging version of blathering and we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow, but I just had to get the word out on our safe conduct to another port of call.  Dreading those shots tomorrow for Lucy – things have been going so well.  She's even caved in and started to call Melissa 'mama' and that is saying something indeed.  Would hate to loose all that ground.  

 

Now I just hope Starbucks still has free-wifi or you will never read this and my ramblings will have been in vain.

TJ

PS - We're in luck!