Free Day & Wholesale Market

I got up early this morning because I couldn't sleep anymore.  I'm not used to going to bed before 10!  I typed and posted yesterday's post and then took my shower.  We went down to breakfast after Le An had his bottle.  As we walked in I saw bananas today so I got one for Le An to see if he'd like it.  I also got him scrambled eggs and watermelon.  The kid likes bananas and watermelon!  I cut pieces of both and he fed himself most of the time, although the bananas were a little hard to pick up so I fed him a lot of those with a spoon.

We then went back to the room and bagged our laundry.  We went down and got a taxi to Shamian.  He dropped us off a block from Michael's Place.  We dropped off the laundry and they said we could pick it up about the same time tomorrow.  We picked out a few things and a suitcase to buy and also picked up Le An's chop.  We paid for everything and left it all there while we did more shopping.  Michael even let us borrow the little stroller his 13-month-old son uses in the shop.  We went around the block to Jordon's shop.  He wasn't there but the girl in the shop called him and he came right over.  He did Le An's new name in Chinese characters and also another Holt family had their son's name done.  I took pictures of him working on it and then posed with him and Le An afterwards, just like I did with Meighan.

We then went to another shop where we knew they had shoes.  We got several pairs of sandals that I hope will fit Meighan (and A. P., too!).  They aren't squeaky shoes because they don't make squeaky shoes to fit the older girls.

Next, it was again time for Lucy's.  This time we were able to sit the whole meal.  We'd given Le An a bottle earlier so by now he was tired.  We ordered congee for him but he fell asleep on my lap before Tony could get it down to a better temperature to feed him.  I had to eat my BLT, fries and chocolate shake(!) with one hand but at least I could take my time!  Tony had chicken-broccoli fettucini alfredo.  It was a LOT of food but really good (I tasted a piece of broccoli).

We paid and then took the stroller back to Michael's and got the things we bought.  Michael's wife helped us get a taxi back to the hotel.  It only costs like $3.50 to go one-way between the hotel and Shamian.

Le An slept a total of 2 hours.  He even slept through a diaper change!  We went down to the lobby at 2:30 to go to the Wholesale Market--Pearl Market and Jade Market.  First Joyce gave us 40 minutes in the Jade Market.  I got another ring for my necklace.  Now I have a jade ring from each trip to China and my necklace is complete, just like our family.  I also got 2 jade -- I call them... -- exercise balls.  Not sure what their proper name is but I wanted to make sure I got them this trip.

Then we went across the street to the Pearl Market and had 40 minutes there, too.  We weren't too interested in things there but I did find a couple really cool beads that weren't too expensive and I hope to do something with them when I get home.  We walked back past many shops and saw many colors of beads--more beads and pearls and other stones than you'd know what to do with!

We met back with the group and Joyce led us all to the bus.  We got back to the hotel and I went and got more water and a Mt. Dew from 7-11.  We weren't really hungry but Le An was so he got a bottle and the congee from lunch which Tony heated in hot water in the sink.  We played with Le An until he got tired and fell asleep.  It was much easier tonight!

Le An went down at 8 pm.  We're super tired but we can't go to bed right now or we'll be up at 3 or 4.  So Tony is reading and I'm writing and typing this post.

Tomorrow is a free day for us as we chose not to go to the safari park.