A Welcome Change

Our first night here on the Island was great. This is the view from my room at night. The place is amazing, neon, light shows, funky music, indescribable! After settling in the room, we took to the streets. The shopping seems great (and cheap). Everyone said I can get a good deal and that imagine they were from Jiangxi province too, just like Claudia (yeah right)...but the people are friendly and the English is spoken very well which is a welcome change. we are not far from Hong Kong so the whole feel of the island is much different then inland China.

After walking by the shops, and shop keepers, we proceeded through a park with lovely gardens and people painting everywhere. Many people we setting up tables, bands were being set up and bars. What I could give for a glass of wine here, but wine is very expensive, all imported about 20$ or so a glass, so we are all left with the local beer which is the same price as water, but much better! We all took the gals out for dinner at the infamous Lucy's which servers both Western and Asian food. The place has so much Americana memorabilia. Food was great as was the company. The babies loved the chicken congee and some even found the taste for French Fries. Little Claudia can't feed herself yet so she sticks with congee.

We were joined by Kim and Micheal and their little Mayia. They enjoyed the duck dinner with us earlier but head to another province to get their daughter, now all the families from our agency are together at the White Swan and the excitement we all feel is great.

After dinner and drinks we all walked back to the hotel taking in the feel of the City - it feels more like vacation here...after the usual stuff in the room (which does have BBC, CNN and MTV..yeah) like bath bottle, new diaper and bed.. I was lucky enough to enjoy a diet coke (not easy to find these past days) in the largest bubble bath ever (also not easy to find these past days).

The next day we will head out to do a tour and shop the pearl and jade markets and then I am hoping to hit the gym, the spa, do some shopping and enjoy the pool with Claudia.

Claudia has been very stoic throughout this whole event - she is very easy and does not put up any fuss, but each day we are seeing more smiles and more life in those little eyes..she actually reaches for me and I think she is beginning to bond. I have been teaching her to say Ge Ge so she can great Colton and when she heard him last night on the phone she smiled. She has seen Nancy and Joel, Hilary, Jim, Allison and Kristin all via web cam a few times and she is waiting to get a glimpse of the rest of the family especially Colton, Deb please get me a time so we can see Colton I miss him so much....

More photos of the evening posted below!