ON FRIDAY  8 SEP 06 OUR GROUP, WITH SEVEN ADOPTED CHILDREN IN TOW, FLEW FROM  NANCHANG TO GUANGZHOU (THE GREEN LINE ON OUR CHINA MAP).  THIS CITY, WHICH WAS FORMERLY CALLED CANTON,  IS THE CAPITAL OF GUANGDONG PROVINCE.  IT IS LOCATED ABOUT 90 MILES NORTHWEST OF HONG KONG.  THE CITY HAD A LARGE EUROPEAN PRESENCE IN THE 19TH CENTURY, AROUND THE TIME OF THE OPIUM WARS.  OUR HOTEL, THE WHITE SWAN, WAS LOCATED ON SHAMIAN ISLAND, WHICH STILL HAS A LOT OF EUROPEAN BUILDINGS OF THAT ERA.  THE CHINESE ARE MAKING THE ISLAND INTO A HISTORICAL SITE.  WE HAD TO GO TO GUANGZHOU, BECAUSE THE US CONSULATE THERE DOES PROCESSING FOR ALL U.S. ADOPTIONS FROM CHINA.  LAST YEAR THE CONSULATE PROCESSED OVER 5,000 ADOPTIONS.  THE DAY WE FINALIZED ANNA'S VISA AND CITIZENSHIP DOCUMENTS (12 SEP 06), THERE WERE ABOUT 100 FAMILIES ADOPTING CHILDREN WITH US AT THE CONSULATE, A HUGE NUMBER OF CRYING CHILDREN. 

AFTER ALMOST TOO MUCH CHINESE FOOD IN BEIJING AND NANCHANG, WE ATE A FEW MEALS AT LUCY'S BAR AND GRILL ON SHAMIAN ISLAND.  THEY STILL SERVED FOOD FOR ANNA'S TASTES (RICE SOUP CALLED GANGEE), BUT THEIR HAMBURGERS AND MEXICAN FOOD WORKED WELL FOR US. IN GUANGZHOU, ANNA STARTED TO BOND WITH JUDITH.  AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, SHE ALSO BEGAIN TO LAUGH AND SMILE MORE.  OF COURSE COOKIES ALSO HELPED TO IMPROVE HER ATTITUDE.

GUANGZHOU IS A BUSTLING CITY OF OVER SIX MILLION PEOPLE.  WHILE THERE ARE TONS OF NEW BUILDINGS, MUCH OF THE CITY LOOKS LIKE THESE APARTMENT COMPLEXES.

ANNA TRAVELED TO THE GUANGXIAO SI PAGODA (THE TEMPLE OF GLORIOUS FILIAL PIETY) WITH ALL OF THE OTHER ADOPTED CHILDREN IN OUR GROUP FOR A SPECIAL BUDDHIST BLESSING.  BY THE WAY, I AM NOT THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE LEFT IN THIS PICTURE.  I WAS SLEEPING AT THE HOTEL RECOVERING FROM A TRAVEL COLD.

HERE IS A LOOK AT THE BUDDHA IMAGES IN THE GUANGXIAO SI PAGODA. 

  THIS IS A PICTURE OF A TRADITION.  ON THE NEXT TO THE LAST DAY IN GUANGZHOU ALL OF OUR NEW CHILDREN ARE PHOTOGRAPHED ON THE RED COUCHES IN THE WHITE SWAN HOTEL.  HERE ARE THE PARENTS AND GUIDES GETTING THEIR SHOTS.

HERE IS THE SHOT THAT THE PARRENTS ARE ALL TRYING TO CAPTURE.  ANNA IS ON THE RIGHT, SHE WAS GIVEN A CRACKER TO DISTRACT HER.  NOTE ALL OF THE STROLLERS BEHIND THE COUCH. 

THE BRIBE.

A SHOT OF THE PEARL RIVER THAT FLOWS AROUND SHAMIAN ISLAND.  THE FERRY IN THE PICTURE CONNECTS THE ISLAND TO THE MAINLAND.

 LOOKING UP THE PEARL RIVER FROM THE WHITE SWAN HOTEL DOCK. 

WE BRAVELY TOURED THE QINGPING MARKET, WHICH WAS NEAR OUR HOTEL IN GUANGZHOU.  ON SALE IN THIS MARKET ARE CHINESE MEDICINES, SPICES, VEGETABLES, DRIED SEAFOOD, GRAINS, FISH, MEAT, AND LIVE ANIMALS, INCLUDING CATS AND DOGS.  WE DID THE TOUR, BECAUSE THE GUIDE BOOK CALLED THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE MARKET "EXHILARATINGLY CHINESE".

  HERE IS AN EXHILARATING SHOT OF A SCORPION VENDOR.  YES, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF ONE INCH LONG SCORPIONS IN THE TWO PLASTIC TUBS IN FRONT OF THIS LADY.  YOU CAN USE A SCOOP OR THE STICKS ON THE LEFT TO GRAB A FEW FOR A SNACK OR DINNER. 

 ANNA RELAXING NEAR ONE OF THE TWO OUTSIDE POOLS AT THE WHITE SWAN HOTEL IN GUANGZHOU. ORION AND ANNA BEGAN TO GET CLOSER IN GUANGZHOU.  ANNA DIDN'T START TO ACCEPT ME UNTIL WE GOT ON THE LONG PLANE RIDE TO CHICAGO FROM HONG KONG.  SHE SLEPT IN MY LAP FOR ABOUT HALF OF THAT 15 HOUR TRIP.
IN GUANGZHOU WE HAD A TOUR OF A HUGE PEARL MARKET.  THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF SMALL SHOPS IN ONE BUILDING COMPLEX IN THE CITY THAT ONLY SOLD PEARLS (FRESH AND SALT WATER).  HERE SOME OF OUR TOUR GROUP MEMBERS EXAMINE PRODUCT AND HAGGLE FOR THE BEST PRICE. AFTER LONG, DIFFICULT NEGOTIATIONS, A DEAL IS STRUCK, AND A LARGE PEN IS USED TO CLOSE THE DEAL FOR A COLLECTION OF PEARLS. 
THIS IS THE FINAL PICTURE OF THE FAMILIES WITH WHOM WE TRAVELED AS PART OF THE "CHINA ADOPTION WITH LOVE (CAWLI) GROUP.  WE DEPARTED GUANGZHOU ON 13 SEP 06 FOR HONG KONG (PINK SEGMENT ON MAP ABOVE).  SINCE HONG KONG HAS SPECIAL STATUS AS A PART OF CHINA, THESE FLIGHTS ARE CONSIDERED AN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT.  THAT LET US HAVE MORE THAN 44 POUNDS AND MORE THAT ONE BAG PER TICKETED PASSENGER, WHICH WAS OUR LIMIT DURING AIR TRAVEL WITHIN CHINA.  THE TRIP HOME WAS LONG AND HARD, BUT WORTH ALL THE EFFORT.  ANNA BECAME A U.S. CITIZEN AT APPROXIMATELY 4 PM ON 13 SEP 06 AFTER CLEARING IMMIGRATION AT OHARE AIRPORT IN CHICAGO.  CAMERAS AND CELL PHONES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THAT AREA OF THE AIRPORT, SO WE HAVE NO PICTURE OF THE EVENT.  WE WILL GET A CERTIFICATE WITHIN 45 DAYS AS PROOF. 
ANNA GETS TREATED TO LUNCH BY HER GRANDFATHER IN CEDAR RAPIDS.  NOTICE THAT HELLO KITTY HAS MADE IT TO THE U.S. FROM CHINA TOO. ANNA WILL STILL NEED TIME TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH GRANDPA.

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