China September 2013 (1)

I find myself holding onto our trip to China, holding it in, looking at our hundreds of photos, not wanting to loosen on the tether I feel to China and closer to Dalia. And I know that friends and family want to hear something of it, so I will start here tonight, and add more detail. 

Our days were full of activity, profound emotions, laughter, a deep connection to China, and a wonder of adoption, how Dalia entered our lives. I marvel at the complex relationship between our countries and yet, within that, the ability to raise a healthy baby through love and care, then at 19 months, let her go with two total strangers who will be her parents, to a new country, which will be her home and form her personality, preferences, language, and norms. 

The short version: 

... with more details to come, and more photos...and captions...

Beijing for 2 days: Great Wall, Forbidden City, plates of jiaozi (dumplings), kind and friendly driver, Peter, Peking Duck, jet lag.

Flew to  Gansu Province for 4 days.  To Lanzhou - where we adopted Dalia in 2010; met our guide and driver, Steed, who drove us 5 hours to Tianshui, where Dalia was born. Morning walks in the park, visiting her orphanage, meeting her foster mother (grandmother) and entire family, neighbors, friends; reuniting with nannies and orphanage director who brought her to us. 

We did some sightseeing; Gansu Province is known as cradle of Chinese civilization. Tianshui in particular is one of the cities on the Silk Road, We visited Maijishan (haystack mountain), grottoes with Buddhist sculptures and paintings carved into caves and built onto a mountain top in a setting of lush, green mountains. 

Saying a quick goodbye to Dalia's Foster family was joyous - as we arrived in the morning at the public  park, with the women dancing and doing exercises (Grandma Patty joined in), lots of energy and commotion, a group of people gathering around us, smiling at Dalia, welcoming us and wishing us well, asking questions about Dalia. Joyous and sad, as we said goodbye, knowing the heartache -  of her foster mother having her beloved Ling Ling to leave again and pride, I hope at seeing her healthy and happy.

Our trusty Steed drove us back to Lanzhou where we had another delicious meal, stopped at a Muslim bakery, and went to the Lanzhou Provincial Museum, where Tal, Dalia, and our former guide, Meghan and I visited 3 1/2 years ago. When checked into the hotel, Steed asked me to wait a bit in the lobby for a surprise... Meghan! I had requested her as our guide but she just had a baby 2 months ago... it was wonderful to see her; again, tears. The trip felt complete.

Searching for dinner, Galen led us into the night food market; first stop: lamb kabobs for Galen and Dalia (Dalia's cheeks showed black lines of charcoal marks from the wire kabob holder), grilled eggplant, potato chips, fried egg and pancake, beer. And, back in the hotel, Haagen Dazs.

Our last morning in Gansu, we went to 5 Springs Park, one of my favorite places from my first visit to Lanzhou, a very large public park, terraced up a mountain, full of dancing of all kind, sword dancing, Tai Qi, Peking Opera, Choir singing, Chinese character writing/calligraphy with water and a sponge on a broom stick; a Buddhist and Taoist temples, and views of Lanzhou. 

Dalia, "I feel sad. I don't want to leave this temple, I don't want to leave this park. I don't want to leave China." 

We flew to Shanghai, said goodbye to Galen who continued on to Seoul for work. Just Grandma, Dalia and I; next stop - Peace Hotel, built in 1920s, on the Bund, stunning views and energy.  Time was too short... Dalia took a long, long bath as the morning light poured in, with kites flying high up over the Pu river outside.