Touring Guangzhou and Meeting New Friends

We were able to squeeze in two tours this morning.  Our first stop was the Chen Family Temple, also called the Chen Family Academy.  It consisted of a lot of different little courtyards and open rooms.  It didn't look like it was a site where anyone would have lived, just a place for worship or meditation.  The entrance had two very large doors, each with a door god, which were meant to ward off evil spirits.  Once inside these doors, there was a hall that had beautifully carved screens that opened up into a courtyard with a lot of bonsai trees.  Most of the little rooms are now either shops or exhibits of pottery and embroidery.  There was one little shop where the artists painted on rice paper scrolls.  There were artists working while we were there, and one of them was using his fingers to paint, but the result was unlike any finger painting I have ever been able to accomplish.  The scrolls were just so beautiful, and some of the scenes had such fine detail, like bamboo forests, but you could see the details of all the bamboo.  We found a small picture of a panda bear, and we had one of the artists write her name on the picture in Chinese calligraphy and English.  It will have a home in her nursery, but I just have to figure out where.

After the Chen Family Temple, we visited the Six Banyan Trees Temple, which is also known as Guangzhou Liurong Temple.  It's a Buddhist temple, and the Six Banyan Pagoda, also called the Flower Pagoda, is one of the most famous landmarks in Guangzhou.  We lit three sticks of incense, for three wishes that we made, and placed the incense outside of the pagoda.  We also went into the Daxiong Baodian Hall, which contains three very large copper Buddhas.  The first Buddha represents the past, the second represents the present, and the third represents the future.  This is the hall where the Buddhist Monks perform their blessings, so we had Hana blessed while we were there.

It was a very hot day, so we were definitely ready to head back to the hotel.  Hana fell asleep on the bus ride, so we came straight upstairs so she could take a nap.  We had some time to grab a quick lunch and just relax for a bit.  In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to see Guangzhou from a bit of a different perspective.  My good friend Grace, who is from here, arranged for her sister Sophia to show us around Guangzhou.  She and her husband picked us up from the hotel and showed us around the Eastern section of the city.  We also went to the biggest shopping mall that I have ever been to in my life.  It made Tyson's Corner I and II, combined, look like a small mom and pop shop.  The fourth floor of the mall was nothing but electronics, and we went into one electronics store that was 7 stories.  I don't think I have ever seen Brian's eyes light up so quickly.  I had to quickly remind him that he could not fit a new TV in his carry on.  There was a floor that was dedicated to just camera equipment, and he came so very close to finding the tripod he has been eyeballing for months.  It was the right brand, but not the right model, but at least he got to look at one and get an idea of whether or not he would like it.  After that, we went into the Guangzhou Friendship Store, which is like a Nordstrom's.  We found a real silk scarf for Hana, which we will give her once she gets a little older.  We also bought a few very cute outfits.  Shopping here is a bit different and pretty interesting.  When you find an item that you like, the sales person will write up a ticket for you to take to a cashier.  Once you pay for your item, you will then go back to the sales person and pick it up.  I'd be afraid that if I did a lot of shopping, I'd forget my merchandise.  After we finished shopping, we went to have a real Cantonese dinner.  It was so good and very filling.  I was so full by what I thought was the end, but there were still dessert and fruit to come.  So, I was definitely stuffed after we left.  Hana was also very good during dinner.  She slept through most of it, and when she did wake up, she was just as happy as could be.  I guess that there may be some dinner's out in my future.  We had such a nice time, and I am so glad that I finally got to meet Grace's sister.  Like Grace, she is very, very sweet.

We have made it back to the hotel, and the baby and Brian are both sound asleep, and after that wonderful dinner, I'm not too far behind.  I need to call my mom and wish her a Happy Birthday, and I think it is safe to say that we are bringing her the best present this year.  However, I may have set the bar a bit high because there is no way that I will be able to top it!