Sunday, December 23rd

Today was the first day that we were able to begin touring and not simply traveling to get to our destination. We started out with the absolute yummiest buffet at our hotel - and it was even better than we remembered! The Garden Hotel in Guangzhou is the hotel we stayed at when Ailee first came into our family in 2012. Walking into the hotel was a rush of emotions and it brought back a lot of wonderful memories. It has also been fun to tell Ailee stories about the first week we spent together as a family and show her, in person, what and where we are talking about. 

The table where we ate breakfast when
we were here in 2012...

Maelyn is in love with pho soup for breakfast!

After breakfast we went to the zoo in Guangzhou. We wanted to give the kids something to do that would grab their attention and allow them to get rid of some of the energy they built up after days of travelling and not being able to run around. 

The zoo has undergone a lot of changes since the last time we have been there. The zoo looks fantastic! The kids had a blast interacting with the animals - there were minimal crowds and the animals were awake and active, as the weather wasn't too hot.

The kids also had time to interact together and it was great to see them enjoying each other’s company.
 

A Canadian classic...

I just love these brooms....

The two biggest highlights of the zoo was being able to see the pandas and feeding the giraffes. The kids – and the adults – adored being able to feed them leaves and even pet them a little. What an experience!

After the zoo our guide, Michael, brought us to a restaurant for a meal. It was our first meal as a whole group and Maelyn was dying for some authentic Chinese food. The restaurant was busy and noisy, but it was located in a beautiful area and the staff were very friendly. The food was delicious!

Once we were done lunch, we went for a walk around the area. It was beautiful and we had fun taking pictures, watching the locals get ready for a festival in traditional gowns, and even having our pictures taken by many, many people. I cannot tell you how often we have been stopped to have our group picture taken or to have someone join in our group for the shot. We have rolled with it and hammed it up for the cameras to keep it lighthearted. Ailee despises the attention and Maelyn adores being ‘famous.’

It was then time to part ways with our group. Our family was heading towards Zhang mu tou overnight,  to visit Ailee’s finding spot and then Dongguan, to visit the orphanage and her nannies. The rest of the group was heading back to the hotel to rest and then do some touring the next day.

Our drive to Zhang mu tou was about 2 hours long. The girls chilled with some iPad time, while Paul and I dozed in the van. Once we got there, and with the help of our guide, we were able to locate Ailee’s finding spot. We spent some time as a family talking about her first family and the love they must have felt for her to leave her in a spot where they knew that she would be found and cared for. We then headed to our hotel, which I was a little worried about – with it being a little more remote than Guangzhou.

I shouldn’t have worried – this place was phenomenal! We had to drive up a long mountain driveway to get the front of the hotel. There were fountains, trees, and lights everywhere! They were decorated for Christmas and it looked beautiful! When we got into our room, a staff member bought us up a tray of fruit. It was awesome! The kids played well together in the room and then it was bedtime.

Can't wait until tomorrow!