We're having a BLAST!!

We are having so much fun. We are filling every day and are just crashing at night. Our trip to the Great Wall was FREEZING!! We had on everything we owned and looked like wandering piles of laundry and we just couldn't keep those frigid winds out. But we did it!! Then we visited the Cloisonee (and I just know I haven't spelled that one right) factory - what an amazing and tedious process that is. There was a "special" restaurant upstairs of that which we ate at. We are so proud of our children - they have tried everything and we're all using chopsticks much to the amusement of all who watch. Some dishes don't get a second serving, but that's OK - everybody's having more fun doing this than not. After this, we drove to the Temple of Heaven, passing the site of the Olympics. Beijing is doing much to improve the look around there. Temple of Heaven was lovely, but by that time we'd had enough of the cold outdoors. Our guide mentioned that there were some shows in town, so we got tickets for the acrobats and loved that. Then we were dropped off at our hotel and collapsed in bed!!

Off to Chengdu the next morning bright and early. Had we not got a guide, there is no way we could have found ourselves around that airport. I have to say that this is the phlegmyist place I've ever been - throaty noises producing offerings every time you turn around!!!
Arrived in Chengdu just after lunch and wandered around with free-time. Went for hotpot for dinner - something we won't do again. A picture would explain it better, but can't do that right now. More details when we get back - I think we laughed more than we ate and the staff eventually had to come to our rescue and help us out.

We had the biggest treat at the Panda Research center the following morning. You just feel the specialness of the panda when you're there. We all got a chance to have our photo taken with one, and the one who responded to the keeper's call was JingJing - the one that the olympics mascot is named after!!
On to another 'special' lunch. They are not used to young men being as large as Cody is and assumed he was an adult and gave him a beer. Luckily we were able to stop that one before the pouring started!
Free time in the afternoon - Molls napped - and then we went to a traditional tea house with a show of many talents. It was wonderful. Cold, and outdoors, but wonderful.

Today we head out to Wenshu park and then fly to Changsha.

This is just so, so cool. The kids are totally into the whole experience and we couldn't be more proud of them.

More from Guangzhou. 4 days to go till we get our girl!!!!