Guangzhou Day 10: Free Day

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Today, Grammy and I decided to do the optional city tour of Guangzhou.  On the tour, we went to a Temple of the Six Banyan Trees Buddhist Temple, Old Chen House and the Provincial Arts and Crafts shopping center.   The cost was 110 RMB/adult(anyone over 48 inches tall).... this included the bus fares and entrance fees.   My main interest was in seeing the Buddhist Temple and getting a blessing on B'Elanna... I figure we can use ALL the Blessings we can get regardless of belief systems!!!!   But more importantly, it is one last blessing from her birth culture and that was important to me.    As anyone and everyone who will read this blog knows... the best place to take a toddler and expect them to be happy and attentive is a.... Tourist spot.   Yep, my little angel was just perfect... NOT!!   She was fussy and whiny.... but we did have fun and got a few good pictures.     The monks blessing is NOT something that is readily advertized by my adoption agency... but I had read about it on blogs and had asked our guides and they were able to ask the monks.   There were actually a few of us that did it!!    My friend Alison Franklin, my Mom, B'Elanna and I were all in the area for the blessing and Alison's husband, Vernon, was taking pictures.... well, part of the blessing is that you close your eyes and basically say a prayer.   B'Elanna Would NOT sit still... she was up and walking all over the place!!   I did look up when the monk was sprinkling us with the blessing water, and she actually stopped crawling around and looked up at him with this AWED look on her face.    Afterwards, Vernon, told us that at one point when the monk was tapping on the  bells/chimes.... B'Elanna was up front tugging on his robes.    Only MY Daughter!!!!  :)  :)  :)

My camera batteries died about half way through the temple, so I don't have any pictures of the Chen house or the Provincial Arts and Crafts shopping center until I get some copies from the other families.   So here are some pictures from early in the day and of the Six Banyon Trees Buddhist Temple.



The ceiling of the China Hotel



B'Elanna trying to reach for it




This is our guide Grace



This is Elizabeth Vance... our group trouble maker...
we all Love her to pieces!!!!

The Pagoda at the Six Banyon Trees Temple




The Buddha at the enterance





The four guardians at the Entrance



Funny sign since the burning of incense is a traditional part
of Buddhist prayer.

Traditional writings etched into the wall.
You can see B'Elanna is VERY interested.

The three large Buddhas at the Temple



B'Elanna was Really interested in getting the blessing!




This is the group being blessed before us.

Family photo





"Buddha please give me peace and serenity in my new home."
Do you think the woman watching is happy or pissed off??




This girl loves to Walk and Walk and Walk

The Franklin's with their daughter Autumn (ReRe)

After the tour, the Franklin's and I made a trip to Walmart for some essentials and we each bought a new suitcase.  FYI.... just wait until you go to Jennifer's place on the Island.   They had some that were just as good and cost a little less.  I ended up buying B'Elanna a cute blow-up Happy Goat doll/thing and a pink backpack... just for her! 

I had decided to leave B'Elanna with my Mom so she could get her nap... and because she really didn't seem to care if I was around or not.  Well, my Mom told me that she got pretty upset when she couldn't find me and kept calling for Mama... and looking through the window into the shower to see if I was in there (Yes... she likes to watch me shower!!)   I can Not Explain how happy and excited I was to hear this when I got back!!!   It was wonderful!!!   When she woke up, initially she just looked at me and then she got up and let me pick her up for a hug.   It was great!!!   Then I showed her what I had gotten for her at Walmart.   She squealed with happiness for that little blow-up doll.... that made the trip worth it right there!    Maybe some of you noticed that B'Elanna ripped her dress while we were at the Pagoda, so she had a quick outfit change before we went out for the CCAI dinner.   The blue bug shoes she found at the Shopping Center and when I tried to put them back... she threw a FIT!!!!   I tried to exchange them for the pink one's.... but NO... she wanted the blue bug shoes.



My B'Elanna... ever the lady... first the shoes on the table....



and then the feet!!!

My daughter can eat herself some Noodles!!!   Yes.... I see a lot of Cup-O-Noodles in our future.