Shop till they drop

Getting To Know Guangzhou


We wake up this morning and find some unexpected neighbors living next door. Outside our bedroom window is a narrow courtyard and then another building about 4 stories high. We are on the fifth floor and with the exception of a few hotels most buildings are only a few stories high and we have a” birds eye” view of the roof top gardens and small living spaces people have created atop their buildings. Most interesting of all is the roof next door, which has a screened in aviary. Looking out our window we are eye level with an ostrich, two peacocks, assorted pigeons, doves and at least one monkey. This part of the trip really has been full of surprises.

Liam is doing well and each day we see a bit more of his personality. We’ve had one nightmare free night and are hoping for more. His ability to pick up English words is nothing short of amazing. We’ve been working on some table manners and are guessing his frenzied eating style comes from the competitive environment of the orphanage. On second thought, some of those orphanage skills might serve him well once he has his first meal with Otter and Jack lurking about.

Today is Sunday and our first site seeing day here in Guangzhou. We cross the canal and leave Shaiman Island behind. Guangzhou city is modern and affluent by Chinese standards. People look much more contemporary and western than in the North. While Mandarin is the official language of Mainland China, people from this province also speak Cantonese, their native dialect. It is interesting to listen to and bares no similarities to Mandarin.

Our first stop is the Buddhist Temple Lui Rong Si, which translates to the Six Banyan Temple. Established in AD 537 to house the Buddha’s ashes it is something to behold. The centerpiece is the Flower Pagoda, which is an ornately carved and painted octagonal pagoda that stands nine stories high but apparently has 17 stories on the interior. As we tour the various temples, monks smile kindly at us and people bow their heads in prayer and light incense. We are invited into one of the temples where a monk performs a blessing ceremony for us, and the new babies.

Our next stop is Chen Jia Ci or the Chen House. It was built by members of the Chen family, one of the largest in China, as a temple for ancestor worship and a school. It has since been taken over by the government and is now a museum. The buildings, courtyards, exhibits and gardens are beautiful. What makes it truly unique is its roofs, which are decorated with brightly colored porcelain figurines.

Our last stop is a traditional Chinese Craft Market where we shop, shop and shop some more.

Before heading back to our hotel we ask our translator to take us to see a doctor. Liam has had a chest cold since he joined us and it seems to be worsening. The doctor believes it is serious bronchitis and gives us bottles of liquid and powder, which we are told are antibiotics and cough medicine. She is also prescribing nebulizer treatments for the next four days. He completes his first one like a champ and we head back tomorrow morning. Let’s hope the monks blessing comes in handy.