July 30

Today was a free day to do as we pleased…not really any different from any other day, but Kaige wasn't going to check in with me until about 5:00, at which time she would bring RJ's Chinese Passport and all the adoption documents.  Karen was sick with a bit of a flu or cold or something, so she needed some rest and some peace and quiet.  I decided that I wanted to venture out and find a famous Lanzhou park/Buddhist temple/Zoo.  I figured that now was as good a time as any to see how I could handle two kids on my own.  So, with my increasingly swollen ankle, stroller and kids in tow…we climbed into a taxi to take us to WuChuan park.  The taxi (which cost only 7 yuan – about a dollar) dropped us off off in front of a big plaza that looked like many shops, but not much like a park…but I figured I could go check it out.  Emma had the first turn in the stroller, but mostly had to be out, because there was like a million stairs.  I kept climbing stairs thinking "there better be a park up here after all this sweat and trouble."  At the first landing were a bunch of individual 'stands' of people setting up pyramids of cans for someone to throw a ball at….like at the fair or something.  I tried to navigate around, but RJ still managed to knock down a tower of cans before I could catch him.  We crossed a bridge, again where there were lots of people selling trinkets and junk, mostly…although Emma and RJ were both fascinated by the little tiny turtles…I guess on sale as pets.  I don't know for sure.

Finally we reached the park entrance.  The park was humongous.  Really lovely and seemed like a wonderful place if you just wanted to stroll and relax.  But we were looking for the zoo…which there didn't seem to be any signs for …and I couldn't remember how to say zoo in Chinese. So, I picked a path and up we went and around…into the Buddhist temple, got stuck in there, and back down.  I was beginning to think we would never find it…but we did eventually get on the right path.  Of course I was exhausted by that point, but I am glad we found it.  It was the kind of zoo that makes adults sad, but the kids didn't seem to mind…the kind of small empty cages, cement floors with the animals pacing back and forth…the kind we used to see when we were kids.  Anyway, the most amazing thing about this zoo is the lack of restriction.  There is definitely no ' Don't Feed the Bears' policy…for the bears or any of the other animals.  The bears were obviously used to people feeding them, as they would look up from their pit and wait for food from the crowd.  Even the animals in the cages, if you could reach over the little barrier and get food through the cage wire, they would just wait for it.  I couldn't believe a kid of about 9 or so leaning over the little railing and putting crackers on to the tongue of a small bear.  Emma and RJ loved feeding the deer and goats. 

Overall, the zoo was a success.  Only one melt down from RJ when Emma got into the stroller and I guess he had decided that it was all his turn.  Boy was he mad at her!  The boy definitely has some fire and strong will in him.    

When we got back to the hotel, it was about 2:30, I was hungry and so was Matt.  Karen still wasn't feeling well, so she said I could leave the kids to nap while Matt and I walked back to the yummy noodle place.   That sounded good…so we headed off…only to find that it was closed.  I guess it is just open for lunch!  Darn.  So we went back to the hotel for a bowl of noodles.  Not quite as yummy, but still good. 

We all then walked up to the pedestrian shopping street a few blocks up from the hotel.  Mostly just 'regular' shops – clothes, cosmetics, etc., but kind of in the middle is an old Buddhist temple that is now a flea market, mostly chops, calligraphy and antiques. We got there a little late and most of the vendors were gone, but we knew that there was enough stuff we were interested in that we would come back in the morning before we had to leave for the airport.

Our final stop was at a favorite restaurant that we have found here in Lanzhou called Pizza Mira.  Yep, pizza in China…and it isn't half bad!  The best part?  It's the only place that I've ever found in China with all you can drink fountain drinks with ICE!  Of course, no diet coke…but still cold drinks…as much as we want! Pretty amazing.

We then went back to the hotel to pack our bags.  It was a disaster for me.  I was trying to consolidate into just one bag, but I have way too much stuff, even with Karen and Matt taking a good chunk of my stuff…I couldn't put it all into one bag and still be under the per person weight limit for a domestic flight in China. RJ was totally wired.  I couldn't get him to settle down, even way after Emma fell to sleep…he figured out how to climb out of his crib and then he would run around, pulling stuff out of my luggage, or pushing the buttons on the safe, or playing with the toilet handle, or turning the t.v. on and off, or picking up the phone and pushing buttons…etc. etc.   It was after midnight when I finally gave up and just laid down next to him so that he would go to sleep!   He is one BUSY boy!  He is happy, sweet and doesn't say much…but he is so curious and so into everything!  I hope my house will be miraculously child proofed when I get home.  Ha Ha!