Pandas and Shopping and Flying, oh my!
China Time: Sunday, December 26, 2010 11:20 pm
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas yesterday. I thank God for sending us his son so we may one day spend eternity with him. I want to here all about your day. What did Santa bring you and your family? Did you spend your day with relatives or just your immediate family? I’m curious. Of course, I would love to have spent mine with my grandparents and cousins, but spending it in China with my immediate family was a pretty awesome experience. Our Christmas present this year is coming here (surprise surprise J,) but Santa did bring us each a little something. The three older girls got a $25 iTunes gift card. Cait got the Harry Potter Lego DS game and the Harry Potter Lego set. The little girls each got a DS game and a Claire’s gift card. The girls are all really enjoying their games and I’m sure the iTunes will be used shortly.
Today was fun but sad. We began our day by going to the panda-breeding center. Then we traipsed off to the local market street to do some shopping. After that, though, we had to say goodbye to our friends as we headed to the airport.
At the panda-breeding center we got to see most of the levels of a panda’s growth. First, we saw adult pandas. They were cute but wouldn’t even acknowledge us. They can get up to 300 pounds because all they do is eat and sleep (just like Americans.) Then we went to the cubs. A panda cub is somewhere between 1 and 4 years old. They are not quite as big as an adult, but they’re about 150 pounds and follow the same living habits. After hanging with the cubs for a while, we went to see the yearlings. A yearling is a panda that is less than a year old. They are so cute! The trainers were in there with them and the pandas would come up to them and ask to be held. Then the trainers started to run around. It was adorable because the pandas followed. They were the cutest things ever. I have a video up on Flickr (or it will be soon) so you can see it.
At the center, we also saw peacocks, red pandas and swans. The cool thing about the swans is that they were black. Black swans are really rare and aren’t usually seen in America. I was fun because you could feed them. I put some feed on my hand and they ate right out of my palm. It was a great experience.
After a quick lunch, we headed to the market. I didn’t get anything because we’re waiting until Guangzhou to get most of the stuff so we don’t have to lug it around all over China. I did, though, get a sucker made of hand-blown sugar. It was shaped like a snake and was AMAZING. It lasted forever, even with my sisters’ help. Walking around the market was fun. We got to see all of the different kinds of things they make and sell and it was really cool.
Unfortunately, after we left the market, we headed back to the hotel. There, we had to say our goodbyes. Luckily, we will see both families again soon. Addy and her family are coming to Guangzhou and will be staying in the White Swan Hotel with us. That means we’ll see them in 3 days. Lia and her mom are heading to Shanghai but live in Ohio. We found out they we fly the whole trip together from Beijing to LA and then from LA to Cincinnati. I’m already missing them.
Being away from home is definitely taking its toll on the family. Today at the breeding center, Jai broke down and started crying. She said she wanted to go home and couldn’t be comforted. She also had a melt down tonight and because of that, Xi started to get irritated with her and threw her own fit. Arguments are not occurring as often as they do at home, but they’re starting to show up more and more. The little girls (including Cait) are ready to go home. I think Meg is too. I’m starting to miss my friends, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to leave. I will be so glad to see them when I return home, but I could stay in China forever.
Well I’m heading to bed. Have a good day.
God Bless,
~Kristen
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