Bye Bye Beijing

Today we made the trip out to the Summer Palace. Ian and I have the bad luck of visiting this place in bad weather. The winds have kicked up, and between the sand, dust and pollution, the air quality was bad and it was a grimy, dirty, day. But the Summer Palace, once the weekend fun spot of the emperor and his mum, is always a real treat. Huge and absolutely stunning, even if covered in a layer of dirt and grime. Joan, our friend from Hefei and who is a student here, went with us and acted as our guide. She also helped us to use the bus (a real bus, not a private, 18 seater for five) and helped us save a ton of money.

Almost as interesting (to me) was the drive through the University area on the way to the Summer Palace. We were amazed by QingHua (sp?) University, the seat of China's science and technology education. There were HUGE buildings devoted (paid for) to Microsoft, Google, Unis, Sun, etc. I wish the average American could see what our competition is. It's not for lack of people trying to give Americans the heads up on what our competition is, I just think most of us in the States just don't get it. When you see the capital investment in this part of the city, the HUGE new buildings being put in to house and train China's up and coming science and tech leaders, it does rather strike one as frightening when we look at CA's decimated education budget. We have only ourselves to blame.

By the time we were back we had missed lunch, so found a little hole in the wall place near our hotel. And while I had grand visions of striking out again this afternoon, we all just lazed around, napped, and got caught up on sleep. Tomorrow is a big day, when we head south and out of the big city and into a very different China. This time tomorrow we will have met up with Zoe's nannies and previous director of the orpahange, and will be ready to lay our heads on pillows in our oldest daughter's hometown. ChaoHu was a closed city when we attempted to stay in 2001, and if it is now, Hai Ying has found a way for us to stay, and that is where we will be for the next two nights. Ability to post might be quite limited, but we will try.

Tonight I had a long talk with our hotel manager, a young guy who speaks three languages and who has taken a very keen interest in the girls and the adoption issue. We've spent an hour tonight talking about the future of this country...the country the girls left and the one that they stand to inherit should they choose to return to study or work. It is humbling to make these connections. He told me that I should save his number so that when the girls got older and were ever back, they could feel free to contact him for any assistance they might need.

It is hard to explain, but Beijing feels both overwhelming and frightening, and also like home.

Lisa