Nanchang-Day 2 & 3

I have to write just a few things before petite fille wakes up and I must rush to shower and eat breakfast before we meet up with our adoption group.

*hard beds in the hotels
*bright orange sun in the sky against a foggy/hazy sky with either skyscrapers, apartment building highrises, or rolling mountains peeking through the haze. When we climbed the Great Wall there was a bright orange sun beginning to set behind the mountain.
*no ice in drinks- not many napkins or very big ones- not many drinks, or tiny little sized glasses which are the size of breakfast juice glasses back home- I'm parched all the time because there just isn't an emphasis on drinks with the meals and we can't have ice because we can't drink the water- they do not use ice in drinks anyway, due to belief it isn't good for the stomach. I have found some yummy juices with mango in them. Also, where's the milk? We've never ever seen gallons of milk for sale anywhere here on our trip so far.
*the ragged state of the hospitals and doctor offices (at least the ones we've visited)- doctors sitting around smoking while hoards of people fight there way to be heard and seen. Even when it's your turn to talk to the doctor at emergency room, they barely glance at our child and are doing something else at the same time while they casually say they don't really know what it is and to go see another specialist-all the while, other patients push their way to the front where you are still conversing with the doctor or else they are hanging around the exam table staring at us and listening in while still trying to push their way in.
*cigarette smoking and spitting is everywhere
*Driving is a survival of the fittest mentality with you either getting pushed off the road or cutting everyone off so you can get to where you need to go. In Beijing, the traffic is relentless, and they are even limited as to how many days they can drive their cars on the roads based on a license plate identification system. Imagine 17 million residents all trying to drive at the same time.
*I mentioned the pushing by local Chinese, but I have to mention it again. It is insane! Seriously? Is it really necessary all the time? After so many days here, it gets really old. *Of course, while we were in Beijing we also had an *incident*, as we'll now call it, which jaded us quite a bit! Word of advice, stay away from the #81 bus next to Olympic park.

*the smells tonight as we walked down the street market next to the Jin Feng hotel where we are staying- YUM! Onions, garlic, meats, oils being tossed together in fresh delicious Chinese dinners served by outdoor food vendors, as friends met to eat and listen to live musicians performing at the outdoor restaurant under the rows of red lanterns lining the plaza

*seeing child after child squatting down in their knit winterwear split pants to pee on the sidewalk as taught by their parents. Some kids we've seen are close to school age and it got us thinking...at what age do the adults tell the kids that they are not to pee on the sidewalk in public anymore, and that it's time they use the potty in private?

*speaking of children, we love the way, even though it's quite warm and humid outside, the children all wear winterwear that is hand knit. Knit pants split down the middle for easy peeing in the street or whenever nature calls- knit sweaters and other assorted heavy snowsuit quality outerwear is seen on every child

*curiosity in us as we stroll through Nanchang, as many locals do not understand why all of us non-Asians are holding Chinese babies

All in all, we love the real life Chinese experiences we are having!