Shopping and Cultural History Tour

Today, is Day 6 in Kunming, and it is the last full day we have here in Charlotte's home town.  We started the day early again, with both of us waking up during the middle of the night.  Maran must have drawn the short straw, as she stayed awake for 2 hours, while I was able to fall back asleep for a while longer.  Last night was the first night that Charlotte didn't fall asleep in her pack-n-play immediately when we put her down.  She cried out (for Maran) several times and eventually fell asleep on her shoulder.  That could be because she had a good, but later than her normal nap yesterday afternoon, or that could because she is starting to warm up to us and test to see if we will comfort her when she is sad.  At any rate, once she fell asleep- she stayed that way until we all woke up around 7AM.  We also got to Skype successfully with Margaret, which was an answer to prayer.  Both kids are doing well, but we miss them terribly.

As for today- we experienced Jade shopping in a huge jewelry market.  Quite the experience.  Followed by a tour of a silk manufacturer and then another sales experience.  As a lot of things, shopping looks different here than in the States.  Here, they take the time to explain to you how the product came into being before asking if you want to purchase the item.  And, the more you show uncertainty about needing or wanting the item, the more they become eager to bundle or package other items and give you discounts!  Throw in confusion over the conversion of USD to Yuan and you have an interesting proposition.  But thanks to our guide and my frugality, we navigated it all well.  Charlotte is taking all of these various outings in stride- -happily riding in a stroller or in our lap as we weave in and out of the cars, scooters, and buses.  She has been so agreeable.

After a morning of shopping, we went to the outskirts of the city to tour what I can best describe as a cross between a national park and Epcot.  It was a place devoted to learning about the various minority groups/subsets of people groups in China.  The Yunnan province has the largest percentage of non-Hahn (sp) peoples.  Each opening in this vast garden-like setting at the foot of the West mountain (shrouded in mist and clouds), had a life-size replica of the typical housing, temple, and meeting place that each people group would have lived in.  It was an interesting tour, and it was very nice to stroll along amongst the trees, lakes, and gardens without the hustle and bustle of the city.

The rest of today will be playing with Charlotte in the room, a dinner at a nice American-friendly restaurant across the street, and then we'll head to bed for the last time in Kunming.  Tomorrow we'll eat breakfast, pack our bags, and head to the airport for a short (2 hour) flight to Guangzhou.  There, we will be with lots of other families who are dealing with all of the same types of feelings and emotions, as well as the paperwork I anticipate being in English at the US Consulate office, which will be a nice change for us.

Please pray for good weather, safe travel, and for Charlotte not to get motion sick (or ears hurting) on her first plane ride.

Have a good day- -talk to you again on Saturday (likely).

Wade and Maran

Here are Maran and Charlotte in front of the entrance to the Minority Village.  That was the actual name of the park, I'm not being disparaging.

View from the park facing the West mountain, overlooking a lake.  Very lovely.

This is a replica of a Buddhist temple that is in one of the far-off places of Yunnan Province.

Another picture of the beauty of the country side outside a bustling city of 8 million people.  The temperature was much lower today, which was very refreshing.

Final shot of us as we head out of the park, the beautiful West mountain still in the distance.