It is “Gotcha Day”!

Today is Gotcha Day!  Sorry we haven’t updated since we arrived in China.

After traveling for 27 hours, we arrived in Chongqing.  The flights were all great and timely.  I cannot say enough nice things about the team at American Airlines.  Our flight from Dallas to Shanghai was awesome.  Great plane and great flight attendants.  If you are flying to China, I would highly recommend that route and airline.  They made the flight (all 16 hours of it) very comfortable.

We arrived in Chongqing around 840pm local time.  Our guide, Michael, was waiting for us at the airport.  He got us to the hotel and assisted us checking in.  The hotel is wonderful and we have done well sleeping even with the 13 hour time difference.  Yesterday morning we met Michael so he could show us around.  I can’t believe how big Chongqing is and how many people live in this area.  Downtown is home to a little more than 9 million and the metropolitan area knows as Chongqing has a total of 32 million.  There are people everywhere!!!

Madison was ready to explore!  He has a FUJI Instamax camera so he started taking photos for his journal.  The locals seemed pretty intrigued with Madison.  People stop walking and just stare at him.  Didn’t seem to even bother Madison at all.  He is so excited about being in China.

Madison is loving Facetime.  He has been on Facetime with his Gigi and his friend Cason daily.  He even showed Cason around the breakfast buffet at our hotel.  There is no telling what others thought about him walking around with his iPad showing the food displays. 

Our guide, Michael, took us to the grocery store, the mall and Wal-Mart.  Now, this isn’t your average Wal-Mart.  There is a Wal-Mart employee in every section.  They are happy to help you make a selection and answer questions.  They also sell live fish (not in the pet section), chickens and other items you wouldn’t expect to see in a Wal-Mart in the US.  It was definitely an interesting stop.

We have enjoyed trying new things so we have a better understanding of what real Chinese food taste like instead of basing everything on the food we have in Chinese restaurants at home.   Our favorite so far is the dumplings.  They look just like they do on Kong Fu Panda and are great to eat!  Can’t wait to figure out how to make them ourselves at home.

It is currently 915am and we are meeting our guide in the lobby at 1000am.  We have to  complete some paperwork and then will leave for the Chongqing International Adoption Center at 130pm to meet and  bring Lucy back to the hotel with us.  We can’t wait.  I will try and update again tonight with photos tonight.

A special thank you to my friend, Denise.  She helped us all the way from the US get our VPNs working.  That is the only way I am on this blog now.  Thank you so much Denise!!!

We so look forward to sharing our next update with you all.