Haven't been able to post pictures

Thank you Dad, for posting my story for Sunday. I hear there was a little storm there!!! Max have a wonderful time playing in the snow. Should be around 56 here today and Nanchang where we will be heading tomorrow will be 69. Yeah!!!!!!

I have not been able to get the pictures on the computer. I was hoping to have it all done by this morning, but several hours later, still struggling. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions please email me: woods_m2002@yahoo.com.. I will be looking for husbands this morning for some help.

Well it is finally 6:00am and I can go to the resturant for breakfast now. I am letting Zac sleep in this morning. I spoke with my Dad earlier and he read me some of the recent comments. Thank you to everyone for your well wishes and for checking in with us.

February 12, Sunday

It is 4:30am on Sunday morning. I have been up since 2:30am. I am showered and dressed and starving. Breakfast doesn’t start until 6:00am and Zac is still sleeping. I feel like Bill Murray in Lost in Translation. This time difference greatly affects the old! Although by the end of dinner Zac is falling asleep at the table. I really thought I would be struggling to keep up with him in the evenings, but that hasn’t been the case.

Since it is very early and I am sitting here in the dark trying to not wake up Zac, my mind is racing with thoughts and feelings regarding China. So I thought I should jump on the computer and write it all down while it is still fresh. Please forgive my grammar and spelling. Just want to get as much down (thoughts) as quickly as possible. Okay, Tori Woods, don’t be upset, we all can’t be as talented!

The hotel:
Is beautiful, Zac is blown away by it. It is the Kunlun Hotel, 5stars. Very close to Embassy Row. Many well dressed people here. Probally diplomats. The resturants are beautiful, the food is good. And not very expensive. Our two dinners have cost 225 and 218 RMB. A little less than $30.00 each. They have this wonderful turndown service where they put slippers out for you next to your bed and leave chocolate on your bedside table, sweet! Because it is still Chinese New Year, we hear Fireworks every evening but can’t see them. Last evening I went to bed around 10. At 11 I woke to such a loud gunfire-like noise, right outside my window, we are on the 15th floor. I jumped out of bed and ran to the window and there were fireworks exploding in front of me. Very cool.

Beijing:
Is not beautiful. We have seen many beautiful Temples and the history is rich and beautiful but the city as a whole is not beautiful. It may just be that it is winter-like here. Although Chinese New Year celebrates the festival of spring, and the days will be getting milder. It feels very grey. The smog is horrible. Even on a sunny day, it still feels grey and the visibility is poor. There is construction everywhere, but doesn’t seem well planned or thought out. The Hard Rock café is across the street, but we needed to cross a eight lane highway to get there. It is very difficult to cross any intersection here. Zac says it is like playing Frogger. Funny for him, terrifying for me. Many people, many cars, many bicycles. There are 10 million bicycles in Beijing. Wow.

The People:
Everyone is friendly and gracious. I am wearing a picture of Molly that I turned into a pin on my coat, and many have pointed to her picture and smiled at me. They are happy for these baby girls. There are people every where and they don’t have the same idea of personal space as we do in the states. There is no such thing as a line here. People will just jump ahead of you if you hesitate. It is completely acceptable to spit in public. I have seen several men doing this, including the suits. The street vendors are very aggressive, bordering on harassment. Our guide doesn’t recommend buying anything from them because of the problems with counterfeit money. But their prices are better than in the stores. Zac’s theory is if you have exact change it shouldn’t be a problem. The idea of opening my wallet in front of them is frightening. Not because I think they will steal from me but because I will not be able to move, they will surround me. They come at you many at a time and create a wall which is difficult to get through. Zac thinks it is hysterical. One of the husbands mentioned that it seems like they all make a bee line for me. I said, yes, funny that you mentioned it, I felt that same way. He said I was too well dressed and they thought I had money. I was wearing jeans, uggs , turtleneck and a coat. Ha Ha I thought I was dressed down.

Today’s Plans:
We are leaving at 8:15am for the Great Wall. It is said that there are two ways to climb the wall, the first way is hard and the second way is harder. Zac can’t wait. We are given two hours to climb up and back. It is said to be very windy and cold on the wall, so there is a Starbuck’s at the bottom for hot coffee and tea. Amazing! We are having another group lunch and then being sent to the Pearl Market for shopping. This is where I will put a dent in the budget. I am writing this in word because I can’t get a free wireless connection from my room. I will post this to the blog in the evening from the lounge. Zac needs to install the camera software for me and then I will post pictures as well.

Just two more days and I will have Molly in my arms!!!!!
Max, I miss you lots and yes to all the questions!

February 13, Monday

I was up the other evening very early and have a long post to send but for some reason I am unable to send it. I will email it to my dad and have him send it. It is Monday morning at 3:40am. I am in the downstairs lobby sending this message to you. I know, what am I doing up? Can't sleep, my internal clock is all messed up. More about that in the previous post that you have not read yet.

I feel horrible not posting daily, but we have been going nonstop since we arrived. I haven't had a chance to upload any pictures yet but will make a point of doing that today.

Yesturday we climbed the Great Wall. What an awesome feeling to be there. While on the top ( as high as they would allow in that section) I spoke to Mom and Max. Can you believe I was able to get a signal? It was very cold and my battery on the still camera would not charge because of the temperature, so I was unable to take any stills. But Zac took lots of video! There are two ways to go up, to the right is the harder way, so of course that is the way Zac chose. Then will still had time ,so he wanted to go up the hard way as well. I had a hard time keeping up with him.

We had a group lunch, it was good but not as good as the lunch at the summer palace. Same set up though. Then we tourrd the Jade Factory and on to Hutong Lane. Hutong means alley in Chinese. This is where the "common" people live. We toured it on the rickshaws. You will see a picture when I can post them. We had a crazy driver. We always started in the back and he would race and past everyone else to get to the front. Zac thought it was great, I didn't. It was very comical to see the street vendors hop on bikes and follows along side of us trying to sell us their wares. We were invited in to a family's house to speak with them through the translator and tour their home. None of the families living there have plumbing. The woman was very simple but proud. She said it was her honor to have us in her home. I was honored to be there. I can't say enough about how gracious the Chinese people are.

We got back to the hotel at around 6:15pm, we left at 8:15am. It was a long day! I showered for dinner and when I was done Zac was sound asleep in bed. He can't seem to stay up in the evenings. I woke him up to have dinner. We picked at our food and went up stairs to bed. There was an acrobatic show we could have gone to, which I heard is wonderful but we didn't have the energy. Last evening was called Sleepless Night in China. It was the last day of the spring Festival, Chinese New Year. The fireworks and firecrackers were going off nonstop, even with that, Zac and I were sleeping by 8:30pm. I of course woke up at 2:30am again. Not bad to have 6 hours this evening. I think I had a total of 8 thursday thru saturday.

We have a meeting here in the hotel this morning. We will be seeing updated pictures of the babies. I can't wait. Then we are scheduled to go to the Forbidden city and Tienanmen Square. Zac and I are torn whether we will go. We have seen both from the bus and are exhausted. We think a day off might be needed. We will be flying to Molly's province tomorrow and receiving her in the afternoon. I am trying to rest so that I will have enough energy to tend to her needs. BUUUT, coming to Beijing and not going! I don't want to regret it. I guess we will make our decision after lunch.

When I spoke to my Mom yesturday she informed me that there were many comments posted. Unfortunatley, I am unable to see the blog from China. They have restricted many sites. I will see them when we return. I am very grateful that I am able to post to the blog.

Max, it was great to speak with you, I miss you lots.