July 27-29, 2014

DANANG and HONG KONG

It’s July 29, 2014, and as I write this we are sitting in the Hong Kong airport getting ready for our return flight to Seattle. We can’t believe our trip is coming to an end and we are a little relieved to be heading for home. It’s been a few days since we’ve written anything – so this will be a multi-day post. I’m not sure if it’s the last or not…it depends on how many topics I get to before boarding the plane.

Vietnam – in one word…INCREDIBLE. We feel a little guilty that we didn’t get out and explore more, but spending downtime at the beach was so good for us…but maybe not our skin as Dawn and Xixi got pretty bad sunburns. Xixi set a personal record and was in the water for a total of 9 hours (6 hours straight). Danang City was so relaxed and welcoming – we had a few really good conversations with restaurant staff as they practiced their English. We couldn’t have been happier with the resort and hope to return their one day and to explore the North and South of Vietnam as well. The resort’s guests were truly international and had all come to Vietnam hearing how hospitable and beautiful the country was. Although we looked forward to home, we all could have used another day at the beach.

Danang, Vietnam

It wasn’t possible to align the flights from Danang – Hong Kong – Seattle in a single day, so we had another layover in Hong Kong. We arrived late Monday night to Hong Kong and our flight to Seattle didn’t depart until 9:00 the following evening. So, we had a nearly a full day to explore Hong Kong before needing to be at the airport.

We decided to take the train into Hong Kong Island and to ride the Peak Tram to the highest hill in the Hong Kong to take in the views. This was our first significant time in Hong Kong and it was really fun to get out and explore on our own. We slept in, left our bags with the hotel and then headed into the city. Downtown Hong Kong is crazy and we all enjoyed fighting the crowds as we navigated our way to the Tram. We had grabbed a map from the concierge and used it to find our way. The street signs were also plentiful…but not necessarily helpful (good thing some passing strangers were nice to us).

Hong Kong

The views from the tram ride were fun and fighting the crowds in order to ensure our place in line, while exhausting, is also part of the experience. We didn’t have a lot of time, so we got to the peak, looked around, snapped some photos and then went back down the hill.

Some of you know my fondness for good craft beer. Let’s just say that 25 straight days of no other option than mediocre Chinese lagers was getting to me and I was a little thirsty. On the flight from Danang, I had read about Hong Kong’s fledgling craft beer community. I noted the location names and addresses and then somehow convinced the family that we needed to visit one. The family was great and didn't complain at all about being pulled along on the quest. We decided to check out a pub that featured both international and Hong Kong beers for a late lunch. It was really fun trying to track down the pub through the twisting side streets of Hong Kong. We found it without too much difficulty and were rewarded with some great food and even better beer. I sampled a few options from an up-and-coming local brewery called “young master.”   The pub owner was really nice and we geeked out on beer talk, while the family put up with it. I usually buy a pint glass from the craft breweries we visit…and he didn’t sell them, but he gave me a “young master” branded glass as a souvenir.

We wrapped up our lunch and then wound our way back through Hong Kong to the train station. We made it back in plenty of time to claim our luggage, change clothes and go through immigration. I’m running out of time now…so maybe another post will be written while we are in the air.

This is not the post we want to end such an exceptional journey, but we did want to capture what we did for the last three days. At least one more post will follow…it will probably be written back in Seattle in the next day or so when we all wake up at 2:00 in the morning…unable to sleep and recovering from jet lag. 

Next stop - a short layover in Taipei and then Seattle.

July 26, 2014

DANANG, VIETNAM

I wish we had some exciting adventures to write about during our stay in Vietnam.   So far, it’s been all about the R&R. All of us are enjoying the down time and opportunity to play in the South China Sea and just relax by the pool. We’ve ventured away from the resort a few times, but to be honest our energy is pretty low and we booked this leg of the trip knowing we’d just need to rest. It’s everything we looked forward to when planning this; a beautiful resort, great beach, ocean view and hot weather. Our biggest accomplishment so far is Xixi and Jing swimming the length of the beachside pool, underwater, in a single breath.

View from Hotel Room

China Beach in Danang, Vietnam

We’ve taken a few taxi rides to go to the grocery store and to go out for dinner in Danang. Today we hired a guide and driver to take us to a nearby UNESCO World Heritage site called, My So’n. My So’n was constructed between the 5th and 7th centuries C.E. and was a holy temple site of the ancient Hindu Kingdom called Champa. The temple complex was dedicated to the Hindu god, Shiva.

  

Until the Vietnam War the temple complex was largely intact and included nearly 70 temple structures. Now only about 15 remain as most were destroyed during American bombing raids. The site is now being restored and has been recognized as a world heritage site. I really like archaeology and history, so I really enjoyed seeing the 1,300 year-old ruins. The drive to the temple was nice as it gave us a glimpse into the countryside of Vietnam.

This part of Vietnam reminds of us China 12 years ago, not many cars and a lot of motorcycles. It will be interesting to see if the economic growth currently happening in Vietnam changes it as much as China has changed in such a short period of time.

The people here are so friendly and we’ve had great experiences, both in the resort and outside of it. Xixi is thrilled as she gets Vietnamese soup three times a day…yes, even for breakfast. She says, “It’s way better than her favorite Pho’ restaurant at home in Seattle”.  Jing also has eaten her weight in rice noodles and beef broth, but she also left room for room service chicken nuggets (she’s ready to be home).

Tomorrow is out last full day here and we plan to take it easy and probably just stay at the resort. We may venture into Hoi An, but we’ll wait and see how we are feeling. A couple more days and we’ll be back in Seattle.

July 25, 2014

CHINA

Experiences, emotions, the anxiety of the unknown, the fatigue of travel all mingle together to create memories. Each moment loses its clarity and is mingled in the timeline of travel. We want to capture our thoughts on the China before they are interwoven by our new experiences in Vietnam.

While we didn’t write explicit goals for our trip, we looked forward to the girls connecting with their home country in a meaningful way, to the girls gaining a sense of belonging and community by returning to their home cities, and to have fun as a family in a place that is so special to us. “Check” on all three.

On our most optimistic days, we hoped to find new information regarding our girls’ origins. We hoped to be received warmly by the orphanage staff and to make a lasting connection. We also hoped that Xixi and Jing would return to the US extremely proud of their country of origin with a desire to return to China and to learn more. “Check” on all counts.

Independently, as we were sitting in the Guilin airport waiting for our flight to Hong Kong, both girls expressed regret that their time in China was ending. Xixi said she wasn’t ready to leave and Jing doesn’t want to wait long to return. Sure, there were some aspects of the trip that could have gone better, but in the grand scope of things – their comments regarding their new connection to China and their desire to return help Dawn and I know that this was the correct thing to do. The girls now love China more, understand it better, and have an appreciation for so many different components of the culture.

Travel can be exhausting, especially for children. Cultural differences, new foods, the unknown, and lack of routine can all combine to create stress and unhappiness. Dawn and I are so proud of how the girls reacted to these pressures and the grace in which they handled challenging situations. Don’t get me wrong – we are human and we’ve definitely had moments on this trip when the stress of travel has gotten to us. But when it counted, Xixi and Jing were amazing and because of their willingness to embrace the unknown, they have a cartload of experiences to take with them. They have become great little travelers, and because of that, Dawn and I were able to just enjoy the moments as they unfolded.

They are 11 and 9 years old. 10 or 20 years from now, what will they remember from this trip? when I reflect back on when I was between 4th and 6th grades I have a few significant memories, but most have faded. I’m confident for both Xixi and Jing – that this trip is far more than memory. It is formative. They have added a layer to the understanding of themselves that will be more than just a recollection of the fun events. These experiences are now part of them, help complete their individual stories and add to their personal foundations as they are pushed headlong into adolescence.

Dawn and I were both struck by the maturity, strength and kindness of all the girls on the heritage trip. They were fearless, open and so fun. Maybe it was just the moment, and the fact they were with a group of kindred souls, each sharing a profound life event with each other, but their kindness, openness and smarts seemed exceptional. They have formed a community and will stay in touch with each other. We couldn’t ask for better role models for Xixi and Jing. They now have a network of friends and mentors, a group of older sisters.

Over breakfast this morning we talked about our favorite aspects of our time in China. For all of us the orphanage visits stand out as the biggest highlight. Both girls talked about importance of meeting their orphanage directors and their nannies. They each have a sense of pride in their home cities. Dawn and I really enjoyed getting to know these places. They are not often visited by tourists and we were allowed to explore them from a different standpoint. They help us to understand our girls and the people that cared for them. I know we may be exaggerating but we can see characteristics of Shanwei in Jing and Xuan’en in Xixi.

The photos that accompany this post are directly related to the orphanage visits. In each case we received new photos of the girls from before their lives with us; Jing with her director and Xixi as an infant (very soon after joining the orphanage).

Jing with the Director of Her Orphanage

Xixi as an Infant

Beyond the orphanage visits we each of have other highlights. For Dawn the orphanage cities and everything about them stand alone as the most important. Xixi says she loved everything and when I asked her to come up with her top two experiences; she named six or seven (Great Wall, Terra Cotta Warriors, pandas, and markets…essentially all things Chinese). Jing named the group travel and making new friends as a highlight (to which Xixi agreed). The orphanage visits stand out for me as well, but I also really enjoyed seeing the girls interact with the other adopted daughters and how instantly they all bonded. I also really enjoyed sharing the cultural treasures of China with the girls and seeing their positive reactions.

As I read back through these posts…it seems we also really enjoyed eating! So, even though it didn’t come to mind first for us, we definitely had some amazing meals. For the first time in weeks we were given forks at our evening meal last night (taking the easy route at the resort buffet). I thought it funny that the girls navigated to the Pho’ soup station and ended up back at the table with chopsticks….something that feels very comfortable now.

I think it’s obvious from our posts how much we appreciate China, its people and culture. Our perceptions of China are heavily influenced by the adoptions and consistent, positive travel experiences over 12 years. So if our blog posts reflect a bias, we don’t apologize for it. I speak for the four of us when I say that we don’t know when we’ll return, but we know we will.

July 24, 2014

DANANG, VIETNAM

Our travels move forward according to plan and yesterday we left Guilin for Hong Kong. Before going to the airport, we had a relaxing morning at the mountain retreat, ate lunch with our group and then visited a 300 year old farm. Three elders still live in the original family home and have opened it up to tourists. The girls really enjoyed interacting with these people and for Xixi it was a highlight of her time in Guilin.

Mountain Retreat Sunrise

Mountain Retreat

An elder of the farm with Jing and Xixi.

Travel Group

We said goodbye to our group at the Guilin airport as all the families were heading in different directions; Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Hong Kong. The girls seemed to delay the breakup as long as possible, but finally we were able to untangle them and get through customs. Our flight to Hong Kong was only 1.5 hours long and we arrived, had dinner and were settled into our hotel by 10:00 PM. We got up really early for a 8:00 AM flight to Danang, Vietnam.

We are really excited to begin our time in Vietnam. We arrived at the resort around 10:00 this morning, but couldn’t check in until 2:00. So, we were forced to spend 4 hours at the pool. I know – life is hard. We toured the grounds, checked out the beach and ordered a pool side lunch. It seems strange to not be in China – and I keep wanting to greet and thank the hotel staff in Mandarin. Later in the afternoon we took a taxi to a nearby grocery store and then came back to the hotel for dinner. 

We plan to spend tomorrow sleeping in, playing in the pool and in the surf. On our third and fourth days in Danang we will explore the city and the country side and get to know Vietnam a little more. Based on our experience so far, I’m sure it’s going to be great.

July 22, 2014

GUILIN – LI RIVER – YANGSHUO

Even a rustic mountain retreat has wi-fi now. As I write this I’m sitting under an umbrella on the banks of the Li River. I’d say that in the shade, it’s in the 90’s with thick humidity. It’s so beautiful here that I can’t stand to be inside writing. There is a photo included in this post that includes mountains, river, bamboo forests and people floating by on bamboo rafts with rainbow colored umbrellas. That’s the view I’m enjoying as I write this post. I write a paragraph and then dab the sweat from my forehead…repeat. Some of the kids floating by on the bamboo rafts have squirt guns…and although I’m too far away, they try to hit the bald foreigner with their water guns.

Li River Mountain Retreat

Dawn and I were really looking forward to this part of the trip as we have not visited Guangxi province before. We left early this morning to cruise the Li River from Guilin to Yangshuo. It was a 4 hour trip on a double-decker boat with about 100 riders. The scenery was everything we hoped it would be. Once again, the crowds were intense and there were at least 30 boats of similar size, all in a row, chugging up the Li River to Yangshuo. Guilin and Yangshou are to the Chinese what Yellowstone and Yosemite are to us. The town of Yangshou is a bustling tourist destination, complete with many western style pubs. It’s a strange dichotomy of handmade Chinese minority culture crafts and western style restaurants. All of it is surrounded by mountains, the sort of mountains that are included on the national currency. There’s a photo included with a 20 yuan bill, held in front of the exact scene included on the bill.

We are staying about 25 minutes outside of town in the countryside at an amazing mountain retreat. Our room overlooks the river and the mountains and is the most beautiful place we’ve stayed in China. That’s why I couldn’t bear to write from our room or the retreat lobby, I needed to be outside in this during our short stay here.

Dawn and Xixi are resting and cleaning up, as they are headed to a show tonight with a few of the other girls from the group. It’s directed by the same person that created/directed the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics…so I’m sure it promised to be over-the-top and a lot of fun. Jing and I are going to rest here.  

Although we miss all of our new friends, we are enjoying our time with this smaller group. The four girls now roll as one identity and do their best to distance themselves from the parents. We never get tired of their interaction and laughter. A four-hour scenic trip, while trapped on a boat, isn’t the most fun for 9 to 17 year olds. But they kept each other company playing games and telling stories. They are all aware that tomorrow we leave in separate directions and are trying to make the most of their time together.  

More to come tomorrow.

July 21, 2014

GUILIN

For the first time in weeks the family was able to sleep in today. I think the girls could have slept until noon, but I got them up at 8:30 so they wouldn't miss breakfast. We then spent the rest of the morning in the hotel swimming pool as our first activity wasn't scheduled until 3:00 in the afternoon. We've been on the run nearly every day, so it was nice to be able to relax and set our own schedule.

For lunch we ventured out into Guilin to look for a simple meal. We settled on a shop that sold steamed buns, soup and sliced meats. The restaurant looked promising, but once the food arrived we were disappointed with its quality…and a little nervous about its cleanliness (especially when a noticed a roach crawling up the wall right next to Xixi). It wasn't clear how fresh the food was and while we aren't overly concerned with food safety…this place sent up some red flags. So, we paid our check and bolted for the door. We explored the neighborhood a little and stopped by little convenience store to by some snacks and sodas to complete our lunch.

Guilin is one of the most famous scenic areas in China and it lives up to its reputation. We arrived in the dark last night, so were really surprised to wake up this morning and discover how majestic it is here.   The hotel is located right on a local lake and is within walking distance to many local attractions.

Guilin

We met the rest of our group in the afternoon for a trip to Elephant Hill Park. It’s a park on the Li river. It gets its name from a famous hill that resembles an elephant drinking water (photo included). We spent time exploring the park and climbing Elephant Hill to see the views and get up close to a 600 year old Pagoda. It was a nice outing, but too short. We are not used to having so much down time and we were surprised to return to the hotel with no other scheduled activities.

Elephant Hill

We me the rest of the group for dinner and then we headed out on a walk along the river to the twin pagodas. It was a really nice evening walk along Banyan lake. At night, the entire walkway and bridges are lighted. Like in the rest of China – the locals use this park in the evening to come out and enjoy the cooler night air. On the way back to the hotel we stopped by a night market and shopped a little. Xixi bought a brush to practice her Chinese calligraphy. When we returned to the hotel, Jing and Dawn headed to a little spa next to the hotel for Chinese foot massages. Xixi and I decided to just go back to the hotel room and begin organizing our stuff as we head to a new hotel tomorrow.

While we feel so fortunate to have experienced such a great trip, we are all getting tired and are looking forward to being able to stay in one location for more than 2 or 3 days. Time is really flying by and we will have our last full day in mainland China tomorrow, before heading to Hong Kong on Wednesday.

I’ve been reflecting on this trip and what it means to our family, especially to our girls. When we are in Vietnam, and moving around a little less, I plan to read back through these posts, collect my thoughts, get the input of the family and write a recap of our trip. I’m not sure when the next post will come (hopefully from Hong Kong on the 23^rd).   If that doesn’t work out, you can count on hearing from us from Vietnam, unless these Typhoons that keep rolling through interrupt our travel plans!

July 20, 2014

CHENGDU

Sichuan Province holds a special memory for Dawn and me. Other than where Dawn worked in Henan, this is the province in which we have spent the most amount of time in China. It is an unbelievably diverse and beautiful place, ranging from large cities to a culture and landscape that is very close to its neighbor Tibet. While still incredibly fast moving and cosmopolitan, Chengdu still retains a little of its “wild west” atmosphere, while feeling more approachable and the people a little more friendly. When you have such great food, more tolerable weather (especially compared to the oppressive desert heat of Xian), breathtaking mountains and giant pandas…how could you not be in a good mood!

Chengdu Market

Hot Pot Dinner

So, Dawn and I wanted to share Sichuan with the girls and elected to participate is short side excursion with a few members of our trip, a one-night stay in Chengdu and a trip to the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Center. Dawn and I had visited the Center 12 years ago, but really wanted the girls to see the Pandas. We didn’t feel a heritage trip could be complete without seeing the source of such intense national pride!

Bamboo Forest

Baby Panda

Mama Panda

It was definitely the right call and we had an incredible day visiting the pandas.   An option for those visiting the Panda Center is to purchase an elective “Panda Experience.” If you participate you receive a special introduction and panda course from a zoo keeper, you get to help prepare the bamboo for the Pandas’ meals AND you get to hold a baby panda. That’s right; you get to get up and close to an actual panda. The catch – it’s really expensive. When Dawn and I were here 12 years ago you could pay to hold a panda for about 100 Yuan (less than 13 US dollars). It now cost 2,000 Yuan ($340 US dollars). Like everything in China, especially since joining the WTO, prices reflect a common world price. They have also realized a prime fund raising opportunity and taken advantage of it!

So, that’s a lot of money. The girls have been saving their money for souvenirs and were given spending money by their grandparents on both sides (they are so spoiled). After little thought by Xixi and a lot of thought by Jing, both decided to use the money they had saved to pay for the Panda experience. Our guide in Chengdu, Ray, worked his magic and talked the staff into letting me accompany the girls to photograph the experience.

Both girls will tell you it was worth every penny. The photos give a glimpse into their joy, but words can’t describe this new memory that will be added to their recollection of this trip. Mamaw, Papaw, Grandma and Grandpa both girls send you an enthusiastic, “THANK YOU.” There is so much opportunity to buy cheap Chinese souvenirs that will hold little meaning in the coming years. Dawn and I are so happy that they will take this experience, memory and photos home with them.

They limit the number of participants each day and only about 40 guests are allowed to hold the panda. They bring the panda in and put honey on bamboo sticks and on the panda’s paws, to keep it occupied. Then each participant gets a few minutes sitting next to the panda for a photo shoot. You are allowed to put your arm around it and to scratch its belly. The rest of the group is lined up and just captivated by being so close to a panda as they each wait their own turn. The keepers work hard to reduce the stress on the panda and actively monitor the group to ensure everyone is complying with the rules.

We couldn’t avoid the touristy “stuff” completely. As part of the experience, the girls received two stuffed pandas, a framed photo of them with the panda, a t-shirt and a certificate proclaiming how their donation will help panda preservation…pretty cool.

Our last two trips to China have been focused on the adoptions and not on sight-seeing. So it’s been awhile since we’ve been to the major tourists sights in China. Like in the other places we have visited over the last 15 days (Great Wall, Terra Cotta Warriors…) Dawn and I were struck by the number of Chinese tourists at the panda center. It was absolutely jammed with people. When we travelled to these places in 2002 it was a handful of Chinese tourists and many more foreign tourists. You can definitely see how the wealth and standard of living has increased for the Chinese during that time-period. It is so great to see the Chinese getting to enjoy their national treasures.

We are now in Guilin which is famous for the Li River. When you see a photo of China with a winding river, single fisherman and mountains in the background (but close to the river) it’s probably Guilin. We are spending 2 nights here and then taking a river cruise to a rustic mountain retreat for a night. Another post will follow from Guilin and then I’m not sure about our internet access. Our time in China is almost over, only three more nights. Then it’s off to Vietnam and an entirely new set of adventures.