March 23 - 24, 2007 Our trip to Beijing … the last time you see us without Alexis!
We had a great start to the day with a full breakfast buffet, to include eggs, french toast, bacon, waffles and much more. And to think we were worried about finding nothing to eat while we were here! At 8:00 our tour guide Tina picked us up at the hotel to visit the historic sites of Beijing. The tour included a visit to the Ming tombs, the great wall and a shopping excursion at a jade factory. Not being one to pass up a great deal, Rachelle walked out with a beautiful jade bracelet on her wrist. However, according to Chinese tradition the jade worn on your left wrist does bring you health and happiness. Who could pass that up! Based on the success of this marketing concept, Kevin is considering offering a promise of health and happiness with every product that he sells… we’ll see how that works out!
To make the journey more memorable we were blessed with a great family (part of our tour group) that adopted us for the day. Margaret, Michael and Charlene, took us under their wings and shared the history of China as well as the days experience with us. The family lives in Hong Kong and we hope to make it back with Alexis Marie to visit them in the future. Our new friends are shown below (See Dad, even we can make friends when we travel!). As reflected by the attire the weather was a bit cold and rainy, but very memorable. For those of you that are into exercising, climbing the great wall was the equivalent to a day on a stair master. We ended the evening missing out on dinner, but had a great time enjoying cocktails overlooking the Forbidden City.
We had a fresh start to the morning on Saturday enjoying breakfast with another couple we met at the hotel who are also adopting a little girl. In the last leg of our trip today we also met another couple and their son who are adopting a daughter from the same orphanage as Alexis and we will meet up with them tomorrow. It’s been great to make a connection with the other families adopting, not only for support, but also to confirm you aren’t the only ones going through the crazy emotions and long waiting process. It will be great when we meet up in Guangzhou next week to complete the paper work with the US embassy and our daughters in tow.
We got one more tour in today before departing Beijing. The Hutong tour is comprised of old lanes and courtyard houses in China and you drive through on a bike (actually they drive you!). The courtyard houses are over 100+ years old and have been passed down from generation to generation. It is a tradition that is fading with the massive expansion going on in Beijing. It literally is a 24/7 construction zone. No Girl can leave Beijing without making a stop to the Pearl Market! Alexis now has her first strand of pearls.
We would like to give a shout out to Brenton Smith for giving us great insight on what to do in Beijing and also wish our friend Uyen in North Carolina a very Happy Birthday.
Tomorrow is the BIG DAY! At 4:00 PM we will meet Alexis Marie so I promise all future updates will be about her!
Kevin getting some good luck from the pink jade
Our friends from Hong Kong… L to R – Michael, Margaret and their daughter Charlene. Thanks for being part of our journey!
It’s a good thing Rachelle packed that hat… hides a bad hair day!
Our carriage ride through the old lanes and courtyards of Huntong. Yes, we are being pulled by a tricycle!
