Day 11

We had a very relaxing morning, as Kelly had told us yesterday that we would not be heading out for the day until 3:45, so after breakfast Micki and I decided to wander around the shopping area nearby.  We discovered the designer bag black market that the shop owners would pull out from hidden places and we bought a couple fantastic knock offs after bargaining them down to a fraction of what they tried to sell them to us for.  That was fun!

Kelly and our van picked us up and I asked her if she could recommend a reputable jade dealer or shop.  I realized (after touring the jade market in Beijing) that I could not leave China without a jade bangle.  It is tradition for Chinese women to pass down the one they have worn to their daughter.  Kelly wears a beautiful one that she plans to give her daughter and I have been thinking about it this entire trip.  She asked if the other couples minded stopping and she showed me to two stores.  I found the perfect one, pale with a little purple and a little green, exactly what I wanted.

We went back to Shamian Island to finish any shopping we would like to do for about an hour.  I had purchased a "chop" of Phoebe's name, which is a traditional way of signing one's name in China.  It had her American name and her Chinese name carved on it and a rabbit on the top and a porcelain pad of red ink.  Somehow it did not make it into the bag yesterday so I was so hoping that it would still be there.  When I got off the bus in front of the store, the owner came running out and hugged me.  I was so happy.  This chop meant a lot, because the man that carved it had asked me if I would like her surname "Yue" to be the actual name, which signifies her orphanage, in Yugan, or if I would like it to be the character for "moon" which is the noun translation for yue.  I chose "moon" since we name her after the moon.  Phoebe, Goddess of the Moon.  (I don't know if I explained before...we named her Phoebe because Macky wanted to name her "Moon".  We had no idea who she was or what her name was when we chose the name.  I am still wowed by that)

After shopping, Kelly took us to a Mexican restaurant for dinner.

Micki was very happy



So was Phoebe

After dinner we went to the Canton Tower, which used to be named the Guangzhou TV Astronomical and Sightseeing Tower.  It was the tallest tower in the world until last year.

I took these next 2 pictures from Google Images because I just could not get a shot awesome enough to show what we saw.

We bought tickets to go to the top.  Both of us were a little terrified, but everyone else did it, so, of course, neither of us could be outdone.  It was amazing at the top, after a scary elevator ride up 108 floors.  This city is sooooo colorful.  Even the boats in the river are lit up with lights. 

Here are some of the shots I could get

We got back to the hotel after 9.  Poor Phoebe was so tired, but she kept smiling the whole night.  This little girl stays in a good mood and so sweet through everything. 

We have to be up early in the morning.  Tomorrow is the date that this entire trip was planned around.  Our appointment and oath taking ceremony with the American Consulate to apply for Phoebe's visa to travel home to the United States is at 8:30am. 

It will be our last official step here in China.  :)