Day 8 - Guangzhou

Well, I found an area in the hotel where I'm getting internet access - right next to the elevator...  There is a little couch there so I've taken off my shoes and made myself comfortable.  Today, we started by walking down the street to get Todd and I a Starbucks.  They have a Starbucks about 2 minutes from our hotel.  It is exactly the same as the Starbucks back home.  We both had our usual...me - decaf soy latte, Todd decaf mocha with an extra pump of mocha...  We took our coffee back to our hotel and ate breakfast (a really nice breakfast buffet comes with our room.)  After breakfast our Guangzhou China Coordinator Michael took us all (the other family traveling with us too) to a Buddhist Temple.  This temple was built 1000 years ago - AMAZING!!!  It was beautiful just like the others we have seen.  Because it is Sunday, there were many people there worshiping the Buddha.  One of the monks gave Gwyndolin and the other family's baby a blessing.  It was sweet and so special for Gwyndolin to have this!  After the temple, we went to a museum which had a lot of wonderful artifact.  At this museum, we were able to buy Gwyndolin a jade pendant that we will save and give to her on either her 16th or 18th birthday.  It was VERY hot today so we were all very sweaty.  Gwyndolin broke out in a heat rash, but she didn't fuss about it.  We came back to our room and I gave Gwyndolin a luke warm bath and let her play on the floor in the buff.  Todd went down to Subway (just like the one in the US) and got sandwiches for the boys.  Currently Gwyndolin is napping, Todd is surfing the internet on the computer provided in the room, Deklan and Trayton are playing anrgy birds or something on the iPAD, and Kallen is with me playing his diablo.  After a while when Gwyndolin wakes up, we will go out and do a little more shopping.  We are ordering chops for the kids.  Chops are stamps carved into stone that have your name on them.  They are traditional here in China.  The boys also have their eyes on some things.  Last night, Todd went out to pick up our laundry at one of the little stores here and he found pokemon cards!!!  Those of you that know prices for pokemon cards will appreciate this...  He got about 330 cards for about $10!  The boys were so happy!  Tonight we are going to a Thai restaurant for dinner.  It's a restaurant called Cow and Bridges.  Tomorrow, we may go to the zoo, but I think we are still up in the air about that one...  So, that's all that's new on this side of the globe... Tuesday we have our consulate appointment and Wednesday we pick up Gwyndolin's visa and then Thursday we are off to Hong Kong.  This trip is going by so quickly!  Until next time...

At the Buddhist Temple

Trayton and Deklan playing a traditional game - trying to throw coins through a whole in this thing.  The other family is in the background.

Kallen throwing his coin.

Our family.  The hole at the top of this thing is where the boys were trying to throw their coins through - they all made it!

Gwyndolin during her blessing ceremony.

Kallen - cutie!

The monk that gave Gwyndolin her blessing - this picture was taken during the little ceremony.

The three Buddha's where Gwyndolin's blessing was held.

Me and Gwyndolin - not flattering at all!!!  It was SO HOT HOT HOT!!!

Deklan at the Buddhist temple.

A mother and son bowing to the female Buddha.  The female Buddha protects women, children and families.

Two young boys bowing to the Buddha.  I don't know the significance of this Buddha.

The roof line of the museum.  It was stunningly beautiful with a lot if intricate detail!

Some of the carved panels inside the museum.

An outside corridor at the museum.

A carving made of ivory.  I can't help but wonder about the welfare of the animal that this ivory came from.