Today started at 5:00am, Estee decided to wake up, and stay up. Stacey tried walking around with her but to no avail. I had been up blogging till midnight, so I was not at my best. The coffee in the lobby is like black tasteless mud, this means its time to see if the Starbucks opens this early!
So we bundled Estee up, put her in the stroller, and we set off with our friend Scott (Hyper Piper’s Dad) in the darkness (around 6:30) I don’t know why, but it really doesn’t get light till 7:30 over here. It is about a 10 minute walk to the Starbucks, but when we arrived it was dark, the sign said 7:30! What is up with these Chinese? Oh, well… I was awake now. We decided to walk around till it opened, the alternatives were not sounding good at this point. I’m glad we decided to, we got to see a different side of the city. All over the square, and in different parts of the sidewalks, different groups were doing morning exercises, stretching, martial arts forms, etc. Some old guys even had swords. It was really neat to see. Even the old people had really good flexibility and balance. We had walked up and down each of the legs of the square, so we got brave and ventured down on of the side streets in the darkness. The sights and smells (mostly bad) on the mostly deserted sidewalks were different than you get during the day. We made it safely back to the Starbucks at 7:30 on the dot. The wait was worth it, it was the best coffee we’ve had since leaving the states!
We made it back to the hotel at about 8:00 only to be reminded that the bus was leaving at 9:00 for the Chongqing Zoo and the Pandas. We rushed thru breakfast, called the kids from the restaurant to wake them up, and just made the bus with all of us. Estee had fallen asleep on the long stroller walk, so she was in a better mood for the ride to the zoo. Of course there is the 5-way fights over who gets to hold her, push her, change her diaper (okay I’m pushing it… the fights over changing diapers haven’t exactly materialized yet). On the way to the Zoo we stopped at the former residence, now museum, built onto the side of the hill rising from the river, of General “Vinegar” Stillwell from World War 2, when the US helped out the Chinese in defeating the Japanese. I wasn’t aware of this connection, but evidently the Chinese still teach it in their history classes. Across the narrow winding street, was a museum for the “Flying Tigers” again the US helping the Chinese. This time it was in airlifting supplies to the cut off Chinese from Burma and India. We even helped them build a road from Burma, a real big deal. During World War 2 the Japanese had taken the eastern part of China, including Beijing, so the Chinese govt was moved to Chongqing, and it became the capital of China for a while. The pictures were amazing, including some of the few of the pilots who are still alive that have come to visit the museum recently. Pretty amazing connection, and the Chinese there were clearly proud of this.
On the way to the Zoo we were on such narrow winding streets, that our bus had to make a three point turn at one point. Correct what I said last night, this doesn’t remind me of San Francisco, San Francisco reminds me of Chongqing! This whole city, as big as it is, is built on the side of the mountains that form the gorge that the rivers flow thru. We didn’t have time at the Zoo for much but the Pandas, but the Zoo was beautifully landscaped, and it was nice to get out of the modern part of town.
Back at the hotel, our guide Xi Xi (pronounced she-she) took us to a nearby noodle stand, man their not very-spicy noodles were ripping my throat apart! Xi Xi told us that in Chongqing eating very spicy foods somehow helps their bodies endure the heat of the summers. Last year in the summer, it was the hottest on record, it was at 115 for a lot of the summer. Add humidity and 9 million people to that and I can imagine it would be unbearable. She said that if they don’t eat the spicy food their body sweats a lot more!? I’m thinking I might try that this summer… it could happen! We then toured a market, as I practiced my negotiation skills. As i have said we always draw crowds of onlookers where ever we go... A little boy (under 2 yrs old) walked up to Estee in the stroller and started talking very loud in Chinese to her. I wish i could have understood what he was saying, because everone was laughing, and that just egged him on more, so he spoke louder, the crowd grew, and so did the laughter. We were trying to get a picture, but then Estee started REALLY crying (her loudest to date) so the boy started to wave his hands and yell even louder. It was really hilarious, except Estee might have been scared! But what a scene!
Estee didn’t finish her nap, but I fell asleep trying to get her to go down... woke up in time to go to have some real local food. It’s called Hot Pot, the table is basically a propane burner on which they set a large metal bowl. Our bowl was divided into a center (spicy, look how red the center is in the picture - that is pure heat in liquid form) and the outer area mild. Just like lunch, the spice was almost unbearable, but I really dug in this time. I was sweating like a pig, and coughing up lung, but it was good. They bring to the table all manner of meat, and parts, and vegetables, and you put them in the pot to cook. When they float, they are ready to be eaten, then you fish them out with your chopsticks, and eat away. Well it’s a good thing they had lots of beer, cause we were on fire! Mexican food is nothing compared to this. I think I sweated enough for a whole week (maybe Xi Xi is right about being able to bear the heat...). Estee was a champ, she hung out at the table and actually ate some cereal from a spoon! Stacey left a little early to put her to bed, Scott and Taylor and I closed down the place… Okay, not exactly, but we were the last of the white people! And we ate some eel too! We didn’t have enough guts to try the pig brain or the duck blood (congealed of course), maybe next time.
Back at the hotel, give me some Rolaids and put me to bed :)… Tomorrow we leave at 8:00 to the wholesale market to buy clothes to send to the orphanage.
Good night.
Brett
Loaded up and ready to go to the Zoo
Stillwell museum, nice view too.
Irony...
Chongqing Zoo
Baby Panda behind glass
We drew curious crowds were ever we went... Why is there a white woman with a Chinese baby? Thank goodness they gave us a license!
This is the kind of bamboo basket they found Estee in!
Lost brother?
E & E bonding on the way back
They bought me this panda, but all I really wanted was the tag!
Lets see, have a baby in my arms... Lets cross a really busy street in the middle of traffic! This is everywhere! We were not going slow here! And the black car did not stop, it just honked.
More Chongqing
Have these people seen the sun?
There is crazy construction, everywhere!
Check out the scaffolding... Why is Osha bothering us, they should be here!
Afternoon outing... This is Xi Xi.
Of all the toys that Stacey bought for Estee... Figures that I would find the perfect toy for her! We don't go anywhere without it!
First bath she didn't scream thru!
We eat ducks, not play with them
This is the Hot Pot. Zach was pretending not to like it
Our friends Scott, Dena and Piper (she looks mellow in the picture, but don't let that fool you, seconds later she spilled that bowl in front of her!)
I respect this woman, she can eat things that make grown men cry.
James, Taylor asked me to post this especially for you... I can't figure out why?
