China: Day 2 Touring

This picture doesn't do itself justice.  We had just emerged out of the craziest line I've ever been in, 12 feet wide and hundreds of feet long, packed shoulder to shoulder on an insanely hot and humid day.  We each had to hold a girl's hand to make sure we didn't loose them every time we took a few steps forward.  At one point I almost lost my shoe when someone stepped on it.  I always felt like we were on the verge of a disaster, but Ryan loved the whole cultural immersion experience... really. 

I think you can see the scope a little bit better in this picture, but it still doesn't do it justice!  

Oh and Maddie and Kaitlyn were hugely popular at the sights.  Everyone wanted to take pictures of their children with the blonde girls.  

Outside the Forbidden City

The first inner courtyard.

Another one of the MANY photo ops, but this was by far my favorite because this chubby baby is stinking cute and....

It was the girl's first exposure to split pants.  Maddie was such a great sport, but all she could think about while while they were taking the picture was "don't touch his bum, don't touch his bum.."

These girls are celebrities I tell you!

After the tour of the Forbidden City, we were taken on a rickshaw ride through the old part of the city.  

We stopped for lunch at a local's house. 

The food was fantastic!!  These are some of the other families in our adoption group.

That evening we walked down to the food market.  

I started asking Chinese people if I could take a picture of them eating their interesting food choices... I mean it was only fair after how many times we stopped for pictures.

This picture is for Enoch who was very excited by the thought of us potentially eating scorpions on a stick.  Unfortunately, our rep advised us not to eat any of the street food... sorry Enoch!  ;)

A picture in front of our hotel.

We had a dinner of interesting and exotica pizzas at Pizza Hut.

Kaitlyn looking the way I'm feeling most of every day.  I'm so glad we have these extra days to try to adjust, although I think it might take me another week to get over jet lag.  I feel like I'm walking around in a fog from about 3pm on every day.  

Ice cream perked the girls right back up.

The giant screen at the mall.