Great Wall and Summer Palace

This is Melissa's perspective on China. I really like the country. The people are very friendly and curious. We get lots of looks, especially Bailey, tall and blond you know. Our guide Louise is wonderful, she is very knowledgeable of everything Chinese. We went to the great wall yesterday. It was about an hours drive. The scenery was nice, but disturbing somehow. We passed a million trees on the way. However each tree was perfectly placed. They were in perfect rows, thousands of them, mile after mile after mile. It gave you a headache b/c you couldn't look out the window without your eyes following the lines of the trees. It was just so unorganic, so planned, so perfect, almost creepy. We would see a rogue tree out in a field and tell everyone to look. How dare that tree decide to grow wherever it wanted to.

The Chinese do not like to be cold. Everywhere we go they have the heat blasting. We are sweating to death and the chinese still have coats and hats on. This is my kind of place, except it's so extreme even I'm warm in most places. We can only turn down the heat so much in our hotel room without it becoming air conditioning which Chirs is threatening to do.

The great wall was unbelievable! So many different people and cultures coming together to view this wonderful sight. Mouths agape, ooohing and aahing. Trying to imagine what it must have been like back then trying to build this wall. We saw a family from Tibet in traditional dress. Very interesting. People from Russia, Australia, South Africa, and anywhere else you can think of. America seems like a very small place right now.

Today we went to the summer palace. It was over 700 acres and very beautiful. We climbed a million stairs. At the top some young Chinese girls asked if they could take their pics with Bailey. Some other girls waved at Channing and said HI. Louise says that a lot of these people come from rural areas and have never seen caucasions before.

Our flight for Huhhot leaves tomorrow at 11:30 am. We may have to reconfigure our luggage b/c they don't allow as much weight as the airlines in America. We bought Fisher a coat today. We didn't know exactly what size to get him. I'm sure it will be too big for him but better that than too small. I cannot wait to meet him. I'm praying for his little spirit. I'm sure he won't be happy or understand what is happening. He will be leaving everything he knows. I love him so much already, I'll want to squeeze him and kiss him but I have to try not to scare him. We are about to be a family of 7.

We are really enjoying our time in China so far. It's fun to interact with the girls without the interruptions of tv, cell phones and computers. They have hardly fought with each other. We seem to be a little more understanding here.

Melissa