On the plane ride over we had a great bassinet for Alice that just clipped into the bulk-head and she could lay in it. We were very happy to get to China. The moment we got off the plane we were well immersed in the culture.
The smog in Beijing is intense. It looks like a foggy and humid day… which it is. Even inside buildings there is a ‘smoke-like’ layer in the air. When you burn something at home in the kitchen and it leaves a smoky look…that is what it’s like inside the lobby. Outside you can’t taste or smell the smog… you can just see it when you look up or down a street, or up in the sky.
I love walking around the streets here in China. The small shops are jam packed. I like the Chinese characters. They are beautiful and it’s fun to feel surrounded by a totally new culture. The food… the first real meal we had was breakfast and it was soooo good. The sticky rice and garlicky cucumbers were my favorite. I also liked the steamed bun with meat in it and the shaved potato strings that were spicy.
Our stroller never showed up. Chrystal (our nanny), Alice and I took a taxi across town to a market that look like a huge toy store. Once inside it was full of little booths each selling something different… for many, many floors. Half a floor was just stuffed animals! We found two venders with strollers and bargained for a good price. We have a blue stroller that says “baobaohao” which means happy baby. It was a fun experience.
As much as I love seeing this new culture and all the interesting looking people and the exotic looking food, I remember that most of the people I see are lost. They don’t know the Lord. We are here to build relationships, plant seeds, cultivate and the Lord will harvest in His time.
We left Beijing on a train bound for Fuzhou. The train station was an event! A bus dropped us off about 3 large blocks away. We practically ran to the station with our luggage, had to wind around a metal maze-like entrance and then push our way to stand in line. We went through another security into a small smelly room (where I used my first “squatty” = Chinese “toilet”), then through a turnstile, running down a hallway, down another escalator and finally along the train to our train car.
The team was split between two hard sleeper cars. The ride was pretty smooth and a nice scenic 20-hour overnight trip. We arrived in Fuzhou where we plowed through the train station again and once outside found our guides with signs welcoming us “RS International”. The teachers from the program in Shishi helped to the bus and took us to lunch… at KFC, ha!
The smog in Beijing is intense. It looks like a foggy and humid day… which it is. Even inside buildings there is a ‘smoke-like’ layer in the air. When you burn something at home in the kitchen and it leaves a smoky look…that is what it’s like inside the lobby. Outside you can’t taste or smell the smog… you can just see it when you look up or down a street, or up in the sky.
I love walking around the streets here in China. The small shops are jam packed. I like the Chinese characters. They are beautiful and it’s fun to feel surrounded by a totally new culture. The food… the first real meal we had was breakfast and it was soooo good. The sticky rice and garlicky cucumbers were my favorite. I also liked the steamed bun with meat in it and the shaved potato strings that were spicy.
Our stroller never showed up. Chrystal (our nanny), Alice and I took a taxi across town to a market that look like a huge toy store. Once inside it was full of little booths each selling something different… for many, many floors. Half a floor was just stuffed animals! We found two venders with strollers and bargained for a good price. We have a blue stroller that says “baobaohao” which means happy baby. It was a fun experience.
As much as I love seeing this new culture and all the interesting looking people and the exotic looking food, I remember that most of the people I see are lost. They don’t know the Lord. We are here to build relationships, plant seeds, cultivate and the Lord will harvest in His time.
We left Beijing on a train bound for Fuzhou. The train station was an event! A bus dropped us off about 3 large blocks away. We practically ran to the station with our luggage, had to wind around a metal maze-like entrance and then push our way to stand in line. We went through another security into a small smelly room (where I used my first “squatty” = Chinese “toilet”), then through a turnstile, running down a hallway, down another escalator and finally along the train to our train car.
The team was split between two hard sleeper cars. The ride was pretty smooth and a nice scenic 20-hour overnight trip. We arrived in Fuzhou where we plowed through the train station again and once outside found our guides with signs welcoming us “RS International”. The teachers from the program in Shishi helped to the bus and took us to lunch… at KFC, ha!
All packed up!
In Chicago, ready to go!
Alice's first flight
She likes to fly... and look out windows
Piling into 3 little vans from the Beijing airport!
On the train from Beijing to Fuzhou
Train view
Alice loved her 20 hour train ride
Rice fields
Chinese farmers
Lewis and Clark
The Country
"Ni hao"
First meal in China
Chopstick time
Kim and Dani
Alice found seats anywhere and everywhere
Cool décor in Beijing
Cool shops outside our hostel in Beijing
Lots of weird chip flavors: fishhead, chicken feet
Outside our hostel in Beijing
Alice loved looking out the windows
Tons of little candies shops all over China
Can't look far in Beijing... smog
China family
Candy shop
Handmaking our dumplings = yum!!
Alice and the sweet & sour soup
Lots of fun baths for Alice in China!
Cool entryways for neighborhoods called Hutongs
Crazy décor at the mall where we bought the new stroller
Monkey see, monkey do
"Good price, lady, I give you good price"
A little smog fog
Morning march
Traffic is always crazy in China
On the bus... reminded us of Euroquest
In route to the train station
Again, with the window watching
A Chinese friend to window watch with
Fun on the train
You have clean feet in China... if you can't walk yet
Top bunk!
Piling in the train car
Our welcome sign in Fuzhou
On the bus from Fuzhou to Shishi
Fish everywhere!
Lots of eggs!
Piles of mushrooms
Yes, Avril Lavigne on an ice tea bottle
For more on Royal Servant mission trips click HERE.
