Chen Family Temple

Yesterday, I found the gym and ran for the first time. I will have to find someone to trade "babysitting" with so that I can run after Amy leaves. We went back to the Civil Affairs office to pick up the Adoption Registration certificate and then went to the public security building to apply for baby Alice's passport -- one more important step to bringing her home!

We also went to the Carre Forre store which is roughly a chinese version of Walmart. It was very interesting -- can't really describe the feel of it. Very crowded and seemed kind of like an indoor market place -- it had everything we needed. I needed something for my itchy bug bites and I ended up with some bottle of chinese stuff that is suppose to work well -- kind of looks like a thin bottle of olive oil. We also bought Alice a new ride -- a nice little stroller to help me get her around.

Amy and I ate dinner downstairs in a nice little lounge restaurant that overlooks the river. All the buildings on the other side of the river have neon on them and reflect on the water -- not as cheesy as it sounds. We thought we were just going to get some cheap pizzas and wine and ended up spending close to $100. Didn't realize that the House wine was $14 a glass and we each had 2 then we bought 2 bottles of the local mineral water that should have been something like a quarter, but paid like $5 each!! It was good, but not what you imagine for $100! Our mistake!!!

I think last night was the best sleep that Amy and I have gotten. I think we fell asleep around 10:30 and woke up around 6:30! Of course, Alice was asleep the entire time! We both have been waking up at around 3ish each night and then trying to stay asleep until morning.

Today we went to the Chen family Temple and then to the Pearl Market. The Chen family temple is an old temple that has now been converted to somewhat of a museum. It had several different trades represented -- embroidery, silk process, wood carvings, etc.

The Pearl Market was a very interesting place. We went in to a building that was essentially an indoor mall. In it was only jewelry stores. Every store front was about 15 feet wide and maybe 20 deep and filled with some kind of stone or beads. This went on for 5 stories high. And then there were little alley ways off to the side that if you took those you would truly get lost. I'm not sure how they make money in there -- especially the ones down the alley ways. Our guides led us to the stores that had the better reputation for higher quality stones.

Alice is still doing great. She loves her "Aunt Amy" -- thinks she is a jungle gym. We are having a lot of fun with Alice. She took a bath this morning -- they typically don't like baths initially because they have always been sponge bathed. She does ok in it, bu you can tell she is tentative and doesn't like to get water poured over her head.

I bought her a soccer ball yesterday at the Carre Forre and she already new what to do with it! She is going to love having her big brothers!!