Monday July 18

Today I feel as if I am stuck in a time machine, an alternate sense of reality, where time keeps going slower. Starting to feel like Marie does on every vacation she goes on. Ready to come home. Things keep dragging on and I need to keep these boys engaged or else the whole thing degrades into a bad scene.

Today was an easy day schedule – wise. Just needed to go get the TB tests read. We were to meet at ten.

As a result we could have a long and somewhat leisurely breakfast (crowd willing). It worked out and we sat longer than usual. I got to eat enough which was a nice (though somewhat unusual for this trip or my life in general) occurrence. I know I really miss the romantic Fruity Pebbles late night snacks with my love that we have most nights at ten or eleven. I actually miss a lot of what is so much the routine at home. It will be so nice to be back there.

We went back to the room and the maid was there. It became quickly obvious to me that we had to get out so she could actually do something in there so we went out to the center park-like mall on the island. There are lots of places to run around, beautiful gardens, fountains, bronze statues of kids playing, etc. out there. A nice place to run. We walked up the opposite way that we did last night. It was morning, and lots of people were exercising. One large group of mainly women were doing exercise/dancing to music. Lots of badminton players. People walking, jumping. One lady walking backwards and clapping. A few blocks down there is a little rubber track with 2 lanes for jogging and some exercise equipment. The equipment looked like a cross between playground equipment and nautilus equipment. The boys had fun on it. And the old people using it enjoyed seeing those youngsters playing and trying to figure out what some of the odd ones did. Also there were parallel bars and a gymnastics bar, so Duncan showed off a bit.

We walked back to go to the TB reading. Then walked down to the clinic. Place was swamped with people. But we were in and out quick (passed the test!). Then walked up to the hotel. I exchanged some money. Our facilitator, who brought her seven year old son with her today (who was appalled and probably frightened by Kai’s behavior I might add) offered to go get our train tickets without us and I gratefully agreed. I figured she had to go anyways and there was no great point in bringing my circus along.

At the bank, Kai was again displaying his penchant/love for buttons, etc. There you have to push a touch screen to select what you want to do and you get a little ticket with a number. It’s like our Social Security office at home, though at home it’s funny because there is only one choice and you push the button and the armed guard tells you to sit and wait and then they come to the window and call that number. In the US it’s a waste of time. Here it is useful. Kai loves buttons. So as I am doing the exchange (which takes a long time. Several forms, a copy is needed of your passport, you have to sign it all, they have to stamp each copy in triplicate with the red stamp and the little rectangular stamp…) Kai is managing to sneak off and push the button. Ends up with several tickets with numbers. He also loves the elevator. Pushing the buttons. Holding the “Open Door” button for all to get off. Just being kinda crazy. And on escalators too. Has managed to turn off several by pushing the little red emergency stop button on them. I need to hold his hand on every escalator to prevent this (note to self), though sometimes this is a challenge.

We decided to go to You Yoaung (spelling??), i.e. swim. Got there at 11:30, and it was closing at 12 (closed 12 – 2, not sure why) but that was fine. Boys swam around. Duncan did jumps. Kai continued to work on his swimming, which is greatly improved – using the inflatable ring we bought. Finn warmed up a little to the pool, sitting at the edge and splashing in the water. I even got in briefly. Felt great in the heat.

On the way home we decided to get Subway, so we came up to room and I sent Duncan (the wonderful big-brother responsible helper) to get the sandwiches. We ate in the room and then the whole place erupted into one big GUN FIGHT.

These boys are so much the same, Duncan and Kai. So it’s a love/hate thing. After lunch, somehow they decided to get into an imaginary gun fight. I laid down the rule to Duncan on, like the first day that he could have no weapons of any sort, real or play, on this trip despite how many times he asks. So they had the fight the old fashioned way, with finger guns. Back and forth, to the bathroom and to the beds, hiding behind the beds, falling dead, reviving. They had a blast. And I got to download and email 26 photos.

My goal is to take 3 – 5000 photos, and I think I will manage. It is so nice with digital cameras to be able to do that. I’ve only posted or sent some but the rest I have and it will be great to sit and show them.

After all the troops were dead we decided (OK, usually it’s me deciding) to go to town. I strapped Finn on my back and off we went. We headed off the island and into the zillion little shops which are in town. We walked through the Spices and Mushrooms area and then through the Pets area (generally each store just sells one type of item and they are typically clustered together. Sucks if you are in the pet area and looking for shoes though). The pets were different – fish, turtles (all sizes, but mostly small, with the smallest about quarter sized), crabs, mice, hamsters, chipmunks, guinea pigs, cats, dogs. Marie – warning – Duncan “Really wants another hamster.” Thank you US Government for not allowing importation of live animals.

We bought some sox (3 pair for 10 RMB/$1.50 “Best Deal”) so I don’t have to handwash Duncan’s and Finn’s and looked around. Duncan was thirsty so he went into McDonalds for a Sprite (he is so good at managing things like that – I just sent him in to the very crowded place and he did it. Amazing) He also needed the bathroom so we went there, which was through a whole floor of jade sellers with hundreds of stands all selling anything you might ever want from Jade. Then we went down to the outside place. Kai (who was crabby and didn’t want a drink) decided he wanted one so Duncan gave him the rest of his. It was so hot and Duncan was so nice so I told him he could get a Mango frozen drink from the reputable looking stand there. He got it. MMMM. So I needed one. I paid and in getting my change (I was asking for 2 5’s for change instead of a 10) somehow I got two. Which was fine. So each boy had one (and I got some when Finn would let me). They all loved it.

This was the same place we were yesterday, and Duncan had seen some odd fish feeding thing when we were leaving so we went over to see it. Here was the deal. There was a little fountain, with these giant goldfish (10 inches long) in it. You went to the lady there, gave her $$ (6 RMB / $1) and she gave you a baby bottle full of some brown fish food. You take the bottle to the water and stick it in. Immediately you get like twenty fish fighting for it and sucking on the nipple of the bottle. Very fun and odd. The boys loved it. Finn was intrigued and I saw him having the thought that he could have some of that bottle, which would have been a mistake.

Walked home from there, down some other streets with other vendors. I bought a $3 wallet that actually zips.

We continued past the hotel to satiate Duncan’s burning Rolex desire at Jenny’s Place. On the way we passed a man with long grey hair, walking slowly with a cane. Probably sixty five. Finn was fascinated, presumably never having seen someone that looked like that. Then man commented on Finn’s look. The man was from USA, had a Boston accent. Here on vacation from an inland province in China. He was here on vacation but teaches English. He was very friendly and even invited me to stop by his room to chat and go out for a beer as I expressed interest in how he got here and the details of his teaching. But I told him this was not likely since I didn’t think I should bring the kids for a beer…

From the hotel to Jenny’s place I carried Kai (a pretty skinny but not so light 8 year old!). I had been carrying Finn all day and wasn’t sure what that was about, but I did (my arms hurt now) figuring this was good bonding with him. Trooper Duncan fell into line and helped out by carrying / shepherding Finn. Out of Jenny’s I carried him to another shop and then to the hotel, stopping for a while to (sweat and to) talk to another adoptive family.

Jenny’s Place was the site of the Rolex fest. Duncan: “Are they real?” Lady: “Yes……….replicas” He saw these yesterday and was dying to go back. He had that first one, but could not find one identical at the Rolex store so wanted one of these, as they are really pretty close knock offs. He chose a nice big blue one with two tone gold and silver band. In all the mayhem I really missed the (small amount of) bargaining that happened. Will report later on it. But you know - “Best Price” for you.

For dinner it was noodles (like Ramen) and Gatorade. The boys liked it. It was easy and cheap. I had a Peach Fanta which I really like. But it makes me miss Marie.

Then the kids went to bed. I need to do the same.