So after finally settling in I put the camera down and made my way back to Vermont. After three days, I was finally able to get over the jet lag...I hope...anyway, after a whirlwind three weeks we finally made it back to the US and introduce my niece to Seattle. I would like to welcome Anna Mei to the family with much love. It was an amazing trip that started with a flight to Beijing with Suzanne and ended with a long flight home with a new family member. There are many stories to tell, too many for this post, so I'll leave this post to say that I will be forever grateful to Jen and Dano for allowing me to take part in this trip and be part of this special moment. I got to spend close to three weeks with my sister and brother in law, as well as spend time with someone I now consider a friend (suzanne) as well as spend time with my niece Lian who is just an amazing girl who is growing up right before our eyes and of course meeting and spending invaluable time with Anna, the newest member to the family.
Over the course of the next few weeks I'll try and take more time to try and capture the moments in words and try and describe in retrospect the moments with more clarity. I've been asked more than once since returning...how was the trip, what did you think?...well, trying to surmise that in a five minute conversation doesn't do justice, so over the next few weeks I'll try and recap as best I could the different moments and special moments that occurred as I best recall. This trip started with a tour of beijing which included the great wall, forbidden city, summer palace, a tough negotiation for jade, and the tianennman square that was amazing, and proceeded to traveling all of china from north all the way to the southern city of guangzhou. In between we ended up visiting Lian's birthplace and orphanage, made friends from Nanjing who graciously drove us to and from Gaoyou; quickly stopped in Shanghia and spent a week in Nanchang and met old friend's of Jen and Dano the Carlsons who were there for the swearing in... and finally having the opportunity take part in a special moment when we met and adopted Anna into the family. Truly a special moment that I probably won't be able to explain in words.
Hopefully, the pictures helped capture the moments, all of them. Thanks for joining in the moment and coming along. I hope you'll stop in and check the blog over the next month as I try and recap the various moments in more detail. Till then, thanks and I hope you enjoyed the trip....And Jen stop crying...
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Home Sweet Home
Anna Mei welcome to your home. I would like to personally thank all of Jen and Dano's friends for the welcoming party, it was amazing.
and finally....HOME Sweet HOME!!
Finally, after two plus days of travel (I don't know how to count the international date line thing...) we finally made it back to the homestead.
Seattle Arrival
And the welcoming party was amazing, friends and family were everwhere with signs and hugs...
San Fran to Seattle
Only one more stop for the Jukanovich family...all smiles as we boarded the flight to Seattle...and again as we landed in Seattle...one tired family...no one slept a wink...that I could tell at least...
San Francisco
So I lost track of days at this point, it was either eighteen or nineteen by the time we arrived, sleep deprived but happy...we were officially in San Francisco and in the U.S. quite happy. Not only were we back in America but we were able to grab a cup of Pete's coffee...quite delicious...then again, anything was delicious at that point.
Day Seventeen - Trip from Guangzhou to Beijing
Okay, so I have no photos from Guangzhou to Beijing. But I try and describe the setting. After spending a wonderful moment at the swearing in process we boarded the bus for the airport for a 8pm flight to Beijing before flying to San Francisco the following morning. Needless to say, not the best in trip management as our flight was delayed one hour to 9pm. I think only Lian slept on the flight which got us into Beijing around midnight. After getting off the plane, Dano and I carried Anna and Lian off the plane (my sister wasn't kidding when she said Lian sleeps through anything and is dead weight and a squirmer)...only to get to the baggage claim and find out that Jen left the diaper bag on the plane (with passport and money in it...yikes!#*(&^)...Ithink I was the only one to say that under my breath...lol...anyway, after much running around, they were able to find the bag and get it to jen solving a major crisis...our first of the trip, which is quite amazing to think about it. Anyway, Jen stayed at the airport to wait for them to deliver it while the rest of us accompanied the group to the hotel where we checked in at 2:30am. Our guide insisted that we leave at 8am sharp to get to the airport. Her concern was that we wouldn't get seats together. Anwyay, after getting roughly 3.5 hours of sleep we were up and running to the airport. We didn't get six seats together, but we did get two and four seats together for the flight out and then the same for the flight to Seattle from San Fran. In any event, the flight lasted about ten hours till we arrived in san fran. The only downside to the flight, besides lack of sleep, was that ocean's 13 was supposed to be playing but for some reason, it started in the middle and then they tried to fix it but put on another movie.
Day Sixteen - Leaving the Consulate
And then we boarded the bus...to the airport...for our long journey home...and when I say long...well, I'll get into that in a bit.
Day Sixteen - Consulate
Of all the special moments, none could've been better than being met at the consulate by our dear friends the Carlsons who proceeded to swear in Anna in a special moment. Unfortunately, I was unable to capture the moment by camera as no cameras were allowed inside. But I was able to capture the smiles as we walked out...
Day Sixteen - the consulate
Our next stop was the consulate for the swearing in process...along the way, I did my part in making Lian Mei a cubs fan...
Day Sixteen - More Uncle Jon
Of course we couldn't leave without saying goodbye to the fish. Actually, I was more concerned with Lian falling in than I was in posing, but the photos came out great in any event.
Day Sixteen - Checkout
While proceeding to check out auntie suzy and lian enjoyed a moment by the pirate ship...
Day Sixteen - Group Shot
And of course, wrapping up any great trip is a group photo at the White Swan.
Day Sixteen - Red Couch
Of course, the red couch wouldn't be the same without including the big sisters...
Day Sixteen - Red Couch
Once everyone was settled (so to speak...lots of crying...) we were able to capture the moment. Anna is second in from the left.
Day Sixteen - last day in guangzhou
so, tradition has it that the last day entails a picture of the girls on the red couch...of course, organizing a photo of six one-year olds can be quite the scene...of course, had to get one photo or two or Lian with the girls...
Day Fifteen - the pool
quite a view of the pool...I intentionally did not include any photos of suzanne and jen at their request...and thankfully, no one got a hold of my camera so sorry to say for all the ladies out there, no photos of me...
Day Fifteen - Guangzhou
Hanging out at the pool. Dad with his girls...needless to say, no photos of me!!! But our day consisted of basically reading a book by the pool..it was absolutely relaxing.
Day Fourteen - Dinner
Again, can't say enough about our gracious hosts, tremendous individuals. Anyway, we had a great dinner and then sat down again to try our hand (once again) at a game of solitaire...we didn't win...
Day Fourteen - Dinner
So, after a brief respite in the hotel room, we ventured to a friend of the Jukanovich family the Carlson's for dinner....
Day Fourteen - Lunch with Lian
So, after the examination, Lian and I decided to do lunch. Of course, a short stop by the fish pool inside the hotel provided the perfect opportunity for Lian to sport that precious smile...
Day Fourteen - Guangzhou
and more from the exam...yes, there is no privacy in any of this with uncle jon and his camera, however, I was also on video duty, so not many more pictures after this...sorry.
Day Fourteen - Guangzhou
First the photo op, next the examination...and like most hospitals in the US...we waited in the waiting room...
Day Fourteen - Guangzhou
After breakfast we ventured out of the hotel, past the warriors protecting us and onto the street and headed for Anna Mei's health examination and photo op.
Day Thirteen - Guangzhou
So we finally settled down in guangzhou and suzanne and I took a walk around the area. We stayed at the White Swan Hotel which was a five star hotel compared to the Nanchang hotel...quite a different atmosphere. Anyway, we found the secret passage to the hidden pool and took in some photos...
Day Thirteen - Gaungzhou
Our first american style meal in decades...yes, I ordered a burger and fries....with a beer...but no not a budweiser, I stayed with the chinese beer...
Day Thirteen - Airplane
Our airplane ride was from Nanchang to Guangzhou, where Anna Mei took her first airplane ride with mom and dad.
Day Thirteen - Airport
More from the airport and eventually made our way onto the airplane where fruit snacks were enjoyed by Lian.
Day Thirteen - Nanchang leaving
Finally leaving the hotel, the cat is at the entrance to the August 1st bridge...and the airport...
Day Thirteen - Nanchang
Finally our last day in Nanchang...Lian and Auntie Suzy scrolling through photos...Day Twelve - Last one
Forgot one more from mom and the girls....what a smile from Mom and Anna and funny face by Lian Mei
Day Twelve - Nanchang Birthday Party
and we huffed and we puffed and finally all the candles were blown out...pardon me for not actually capturing the actual moment as I was videotaping at the same time...
Day Twelve - Nanchang Birthday Party
More from the birthday party. And the last photo is our you spell Anna's name in Chinese...okay, it isn't actually Anna I believe that is spelled but her name that was given to her initially...but I am going with Anna b/c I can't quite remember her full chinese name that was given to her...i know bad uncle...but ask my sister she'll know.
Day Twelve - Nanchang Birthday Party
After shopping for porcelain, I got myself a little tea set (which will most likely sit on my shelf as a display piece) we had a birthday party for all the newly adopted at our favorite restaurant.
Day Twelve - Nanchang Lake
Last of the pictures from the lake, suzanne at the top of the steps beside the drum that I played a quiet tune...okay, I just hit the drum a couple of times no big tune...
and then we ventured back to the hotel, where Jen, Suzanne and I went to the porcelian shop...
Day Twelve - Nanchang Lake
Yes, quite the scene inside the temple...and a huge drum...which yes, I banged on it a few times, much to the dismay of our guide...
Day Twelve - Nanchang Lake
More photos from the Taoist Temple...uh oh is that mom with Anna...yes it is...
Day Twelve - Nanchang Lake
We finally made it to the Taoist Temple...once inside we found a man made cave and entered...no bats inside, only pigeons...
Day Twelve - Nanchang Lake
And more photos of the locals with Lian and Dad before finally getting a family photo opp.
Day Twelve - Nanchang Lake
And Jen found her disciples...kidding...but they did follow us all the way till we reached the Taoist Temple...and along the way stopped for more photos with Lian and Dad
Day Twelve - Nanchang Lake
So, we continued down the path and found a quiet area where a man was playing some flutish type instrument ( I have no idea what type of instrument it was, but it was quite beautiful to listen to). Oh yeah, can I just say once again, movie star in the making...one Lian Mei Jukanovich....
Day Twelve - Nanchang Lake
Once outside of the city, the sun decided to shine through the haze...and the sunglasses came out...
Day Twelve - Nanchang - Tour of Lake
Day Twelve consisted of a tour of the lake in the southern portion of the city. The second photo shows a contrast of the skyline as we proceeded away from the city...the haze was amazing...
Day Eleven - Finally over...
After a six hour hike around the city we found our way back to the hotel in time for a pizza party with some of the families...needless to say, the kids didn't get any pizza...
Day Eleven - Nanchang continued
Once inside the temple we found an concert. We had to quickly move on as once we stopped to listen to the concert we found ourselves surrounded by the masses who quickly turned their attention from the performers
to us and where quickly turning their attention to us. Also, the performance turned to a Chinese opera which was defeaning to our (at least my) ears....Day Eleven - Nanchang walk to Temple
So, after leaving the monument we continued to walk south to our next stop which was a used book store. I didn't capture the book store...it really wasn't worth the pictures or the description in the guide book, but unique unto itself, anyway, we passed a bus stop and captured the moment of mass shoving of people trying to get onto a packed bus. If I haven't already noted, let me say again, there is no such thing as lining up to get on or off of anything, it is push and shove till you get on. Thankfully, we didn't venture to try and take the bus. After that we continued to make our way toward another buddhist temple, but stopped to detour down an alley way that reminded me of a street market/street fair selling food galore. We didnt' stop to buy anything...much to the dismay of many attempts to sell us some food...and eventually found the back entrance to the temple.
Day Eleven - Nanchang Monument
More pictures of the monument...what I didn't capture was the old lady trying to sell me some fake roses for Suzanne. After saying no at least three times, the nice old lady proceeded to stuff the roses into my strap for my backpack and tell me I owed her 5 yuan...I literally had to put the roses on the ground and continued on...
Day Eleven - Lunch and Monument
Our next stop was lunch and McDonald's!!! Yes, we stopped at McDonald's which was once again an adventure in ordering. Somehow Suzanne ended up with two burgers and I ended up with an orange soda (after ordering a coke)...after lunch we ended up at the monument to the August 1st uprising.
Day Eleven - City Park Nanchang
Not only did we find some peace and quiet from the hustle of the city but we gound a garden in the middle of the madhouse that was Nanchang.
Day Eleven - Nanchang City Park
We eventually left the museum and continued our walking tour until we reached the same park we visited the day before. However, this time we were south of the area that we visited the day before so we ventured forth and made our way to a quiet secluded area where for once it was quiet and not congested with people.
Day Eleven - Nanchang continued
This is the last from the museum, I gave up on the propaganda, it was getting a bit too much, in any event we did try and sign the guest book, but gave up after the pen would not work and all the signatures were in chinese characters...but we tried...also met the locals who did sign the book.
Day Eleven - Nanchang Continued
More from the museum, and the steps to the second floor...or the mountains....
Day Eleven - Nanchang continued
So, after firing the first shot at 2pm the fighting was fierce....also, here is picture of the hotel and a map of the city showing the battle sites and movement as well as Suzanne enjoying the moment with the people...okay enjoying the moment with a mural of the people.
Day Eleven - Nanchang - Museum
Okay, get ready for the prop
aganda...easier to give the story in the words of the museum.
aganda...easier to give the story in the words of the museum.
Day Eleven - Nanchang
Day Eleven - Nanchang
Day Eleven - Well today Suzanne and I decided to take our own walking tour of the city of Nanchang. The group went on a separate tour and my sister and brother-in-law were taking a day off from the tour scene and resting in the hotel. Our first stop was to the August 1st Museum. Upon entering this city, we've constantly heard about the August 1st uprising so we decided to actually visit the museum and find out more about the history behind this date in Chinese history.
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