Day 5

We started our day like every morning at the awesome breakfast buffet here at the hotel.  Every food you could imagine....breakfast, lunch, dinner, all of every type.  So yummy and great coffee!

Our guide, Michael, took us by bus to an extraordinarily beautiful park.  It was huge, idyllic, peaceful and serene.  He explained that many people who are past the age of employment and are now enjoying their lives go there and that at first they do not know anyone, but day after day of spending time there they make close friends.  Grandparents who care for their grandchildren during the day take them there to play.  There were many dancers, people practicing Tai Chi, playing beautiful music, playing games in fields, playing chess and cards, sleeping, sunning, walking.  No one jogs or runs, but we saw so many older people exercising in different ways.  There were hundreds of people there, yet no one was near another.  Every person had their own space or little nook.  There was a large lake that one could rent a paddle boat.  There was an amusment park with rides and play structures.  It was perfectly manicured and clean.

People stare at us.  Two blonde, almost 6 feet tall women with a Chinese baby is not a sight that they expect to see.  Some people are very sweet and say nice things, some glare at us, almost all talk about us and point us out.  We have had our picture taken, some with them posing with us.  We have been scolded by elderly women to uncover her head when we had the napping hood of the Ergo up.  People peek in to see Phoebe, touch her.  But she can bring a smile to the sternest of them.  :)

Split pants on all the babies and toddlers.  Naked buns everywhere. :)

Phoebe missed the entire park :(

After the park Michael took us to 7091, the best restaurant in Nanchang, for lunch.  He ordered all of the dishes for us and asked if we liked "spicy".  We all said "Sure" and the food was wonderful.  Michael never sat down to eat with us and  came in and out of the private room.  We asked him if he was going to sit down and join us and he said "Nope, too spicy!"

Both Micki and Phoebe tried chopsticks for the first time...no forks in sight.  Micki did perfectly, Phoebe played the drums.

We finished our outing by stopping in the famous porcelain district to do some shopping.  Nanchang is China's porcelain capital.  We bought some beautiful, small things to bring home for amazing prices.  I am working my way through China buying gifts to give to Phoebe throughout the years.  I am buying beautiful rabbits...jade, porcelain, decorated chopsticks for her year of birth.