For I know the plans I have for you...: Shamian Island

On our last day in Guangzhou we went to check out Shamian Island. It is actually a large sandbar surrounded by water in the Liwan District in Guangzhou city. The island has huge historical significance. In 1859 the island was divided into two concessions given to France and the Untied Kingdom. So there is a large western influence on all the architecture on the island. In more recent years it was where all western families stayed when they came to China for adoption. The US consulate was located on the island, along with the medical examination facilities. Most families stayed in the White Swan, a hotel that housed the famous 'red couch' where most adopted Chinese kids, mainly girls had their picture taken. The hotel is now under construction so we were not able to get a picture on the couch. The US consulate has moved and the medical facilities have also been relocated so there isn't as much shopping or activity as their used to be. Shamian Island was a beautiful place to visit though, I am definitely glad we went!

There are lots of statues all over the island. Lots of adoptive families take pictures at this statue. They stick their new child in the space between the last two kids. We tried to get Jaxon to do it, but he wasn't going to do it without his dad :)

Kaylie and Kenz really got into shopping on this trip. They got some great stuff. I'm glad they haven't been interested in shopping for the past 2 years, we would have ended up with a lot of junk!

On the right is the Polish Consulate. I took this picture and then took another one and got yelled at. NO PICTURES! ok ok. It was like a fortress. And no one seemed to want to go in...

The trees were amazing, reminded me of Savannah.

More shopping

On Friday morning we boarded the train for home. We were so sad to leave all our new friends but at the same time so happy to be headed home! We had a 9 hour train ride with a stop in Wuhan.

We love taking the train in China, it is such a great way to see China and it is so much more relaxed than traveling by train. Jaxon was able to walk around the whole time, eat and drink and be merry. It was great. The girls also really like going on the train. The only bad thing is that you don't check your luggage so when you have to switch trains you have to get everything to the next train. Most of the elevators are 'out of order' aka never worked in the first place so getting our huge suitcases up and down the stairs in to the stations was terrible. Luckily, someone took pity on me in each station and carried my suitcase for me.

Model of the Guangzhou train station

Guangzhou South Station

All the train pictures are for my nephews Kinnick and Whittaker!

Wuhan Station

Getting ready to board the second train

Luckily on train #2 we were at the back of the car so the boy was able to run back and forth for hours. This is the luggage area, (we are the only people who use the luggage area, it is makes Kyle's OCD start to go crazy. On the trip to Zhengzhou the overhead was full and a guy sat in the same row as us and just brought is suitcase with him and put it in front of him. Kyle kept asking if he could take it to to the back but the guy was not interested. It drove him NUTS! Then on the train between Guangzhou and Wuhan a girl sat next to us and was ready to put her suitcase in front of her and Kyle was like, here let me take that for you. She was fresh out of college so she didn't argue with him but I could tell she was nervous about where in the world he was taking her bag. It was actually hilarious because the Chinese and their luggage issues had him so worked up!) then there are the doors, then the connection and then the bathrooms so it is a long area where he got to roam.