Last Day in China

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Today is our last full day in China. 

This morning started the same as all the others: breakfast!

 

Ruthie tried bacon for the first time. She liked it, but definitely prefers sausage at this point. 

 

After breakfast we lazed about. She sought Trent out and climbed into his lap. He was pretty happy about it since she has been favoring me over him for the past week. 

 

This girl is so much fun! She loves to laugh and be tickled but also can play independently and be quiet. 

 

We decided to go in search of a park. The sidewalk is under construction and the men were cutting large slabs of stone with no ear or eye protection while smoking cigarettes. It was very interesting. 

 

We walked past another gorgeous hotel. 

 

And through an underpass and stumbled into the Lui Hao Park. 

 

There is a walking trail all around this lake with this ancient mansion built on the water. 

 

We didn't find any sign saying what the building was but it was magnificent. 

 

 

Ruthie really enjoyed looking at the fish in the water. I was mainly worried that she was going to kick off a shoe into the pond. 

 

The park was full of older Chinese men and women. Many of them were grandparents caring for a grandchild. We got lots of stares today. 

 

I can't quite figure out the meaning of this sign posted at the park. 

 

This is Ruth testing me. She wanted to climb the railing and I didn't think that was a good idea. 

 

She walked most of the way back through the park carrying this stick. She kept stopping to poke at the dirt. 

 

She found some cotton from a tree. There were two old women collecting bags of it. I am curious what they do with it. 

 

She liked the stick until she poked herself in the eye with it. She is definitely going to love life in the country. 

 

Unique rock in the park. I wish I knew what it says. 

 

She loves walking on the edge of things. 

 

We were so glad for beautiful weather today. The weather in Guangzhou has been mostly rainy but today was gorgeous and sunny!

 

The grass was roped off. The signs were in Chinese but I'm pretty sure they said "no walking on the grass". 

 

Ruthie loves her raisins! We got her visa at noon today so are in the clear to head home tomorrow! One of the families left at 4 pm. 

There was a restaurant in the park called the Green Island Restaurant that we decided to walk back to that evening. 

Two of the other families who spent the first week with us in Guangxi decided we should all eat together one last time before going our separate ways. 

 

The setting of the restaurant is gorgeous. 

 

 

Trent got lobster Alfredo. He said it was okay. 

 

This is supposed to be Caesar salad but the strangest Caesar salad I've ever had. It had kidney beans, mini corns, peppers, tomatoes and topped with corn flakes. The dressing was a creamy mustard. Not a bad salad but certainly not what Americans think of as Caesar salad. 

 

I also had this rack of lamb which was fantastic. Ruth really loved it also. 

 

These are the beautiful people who we can now call friends. Mark and Sara with their son Jetson, who live in Hawaii, and Luke and Kelly with their daughter Zoey, who live in Missouri. 

 

It has been such a joy getting to know them over the past two weeks. 

 

The outside of the restaurant. 

 

Ruth isn't looking but it was such a beautiful night with some amazing people. 

 

We stopped at the McDonald's ice cream window that's on the street next to the hotel for a couple of cones. They were only 3 Yuan each which is less than 50 cents. 

 

I think it's safe to say Ruthie loved it!

Our driver is picking us up in the hotel at 6:30 am! We have a 9:55 flight out of Guangzhou to Hong Kong. Just an hour and a half flight. Then we have a 6.5 hour layover. We are expected to arrive in Newark, New Jersey at 9:35 pm on May 26. We are so excited to be finally heading home. We would love if you would pray for safe travels and that my airsickness on the way here was just a fluke. 

Thank you all for joining us in China!