Guangzhou pt 1

On Saturday we packed out bags and boarded a plane for Guangzhou, China.  Guangzhou is a two hour plane ride south of Zhengzhou.  It is also three hours by car north of Hong Kong.  It is the southern gateway to China and it is where the American Consulate is located.  We are here to now obtain an American Visa for Ivy to enter into America.  So while we are here she will receive a medical exam to make sure she doesn't have TB and any other infectious disease and then to submit all the adoption paperwork to the consulate.   Ivy was not so thrilled about the over crowded and very hot plane ride and I am completely baffled that there were passengers still asking for blankets as most of us in the group where dripping with sweat.  Riding on a plane with her was like trying to rope a calf or ride a bucking bronco.  It was a work out to say the least.  She only slept about 20 minutes of the trip.  So Lord help us on the way to America.  We are going to need your prayers.  We didn't arrive to the hotel till around 6 p.m. and by the time our bags made it to the room it was almost 7 p.m. My friend Buffi was here waiting for us and we quickly unpacked and caught a taxi to McCawley's an Irish Pub here in town.  It was a little difficult to find, but we found it!  Having eaten Chinese for the past week, I was ready for something other than Chinese. I ordered a plate of Nachos and Buffi had the pork tacos.  The food was amazing.  Then off to bed.  Sunday morning following breakfast we boarded a tour bus with the other members of our adoption group and visited the Banyan Tree Buddhist, the Chen Academy, and did some shopping.  After a couple hour nap and some consulate paperwork a small group of us headed to Buengiorno's an Italian restaurant for dinner. (Robin, Laura, Angela, Elizabeth, and Kimberly along with their husbands and newly adopted children).  The food was amazing.  It is wonderful to share this journey with so many amazing families.