China Trip (3)

Our FriendSpeak readers Wen and Jun connected us with Jun’s brother Crocodile in Beijing. Crocodile was such a blessing to us! He picked us up and took us to the vacation hotel that he booked for us. It was a really nice hotel. All the water there was hot spring water. It used to be a stop for the emperor on his way to his summer vacation spot. Crocodile took his day off to drive us to the Great Wall the next day. It rained all morning. But we enjoyed our visit very much (Actually Emily and Andy have been telling others that was their favorite thing in China). We had lunch at a spring rolls farm house where only locals know in the area of The Thirteen Ming Tombs. After lunch, he took us to the Olympic Bird Nest and Water Cubic. Then we had dinner at a restaurant where the emperor used to eat and ate the food that the emperor used to eat. What a treat! We tried to give money to Crocodile for the hotel and the food. He insisted not taking it. I tried to give to his assistant. He wouldn’t take it either. We had hard time accepting such a big gift (Later we knew the money was exactly what I needed to get home).

 Even on a rainy day, it was still crowded at the Ba Da Ling Great Wall

 The place where we had the spring roll lunch

 

 Crocodile - our new friend below made a magazine cover above

 The place where the emperor used to eat

 The view from our hot spring hotel

 While it rained pretty big in the morning, it was so sunny in the afternoon- in front of the birdnest

Haixia (who stayed with us for a week last summer and became a Christian here) and his family came to the hotel to meet us. But because I didn’t have a phone and I didn’t bring my ipad, I couldn’t get in touch with her to let her know my schedule – I didn’t expect to stay out all day. It wasn't a good idea to go around without a local phone. Haixia left the hotel before we went back. I felt so bad for her family. She came over again early next morning. We got to spend some time together. Then we had a lunch with my friend Huang Yuqin’s family. We barely had enough time to get to the airport after lunch.

  Haixia, Sihao, Huang Yuqing, lao Lv, Yoyo

After Crocodile dropped us off at the airport, we lined up at the ticket counter. That was when the clerk told me that I couldn’t get on the airplane because I didn’t bring my greencard – I left it at home in Dallas! She suggested David taking the kids and getting on the plane because it would be extremely difficult to get four tickets during the peak season. I hurried to say bye-bye to David and the kids. I called Haixia before David left with his phone. David and the kids were the last ones to get on the airplane. I took a taxi to Haixia’s apartment. We started looking for people to take my green card to China from Dallas. After many hours’ searching (thanks to Haixia), we finally found someone through a FriendSpeak reader. A visiting scholar couple was leaving DFW to Wuhan the next day. So as soon as David got home, he took my green card to that couple. I had planned to ask the couple to mail my green card to me, only found out later that the FedEx wouldn’t mail the original card. So I decided to go to Wuhan to get my green card instead. Haixia’s family had planned to take a vacation out of the town that Saturday. She introduced her friend Sister Liu to me. I was so blessed to know Sister Liu.

When I parted with David suddenly at the airport, I had the money that Crocodile refused to take. That money was just enough for me to pay for the train tickets and the hotel afterwards! God knew I would need that money from the beginning! I took the high speed train to Wuhan and had a nice experience with it. David was jealous of it because the train was so nice and the scenery was beautiful and I got to tour Wuhan and the Yangtzi river! It took me five hours going over there and four hours coming back to Beijing (by two different lines). I got to the Wuhan airport at around 3 o’clock and got my green card at 7pm. I stayed at a hotel next to the train station and got on the train the next morning.

 Beijing West Train Station

 The Highspeed Train

 Inside the Beijing Airport

 The scenery along the railroad

 Wen (who picked up David and the kids) gave my green card to Sandy who came to Wuhan the next morning.

When I arrived at Beijing at 11:30am, Sister Liu was waiting for me with my luggage. She suggested taking the subway to the airport due to the possible heavy traffic. It was her first time to take subway because her husband was an officer and she never had to take a subway. She carried my luggage all the way. We got to the airport in 70 minutes and I was able to get the last seat on the airplane that day (and the next two days). I finally got home that afternoon feeling blessed! I was only three days later than David. Andy and Emily said they cried in the dark after David tucked them in the bed the night they got home - they've never left me for so long! Luckily David didn’t have to go back to work until the following Monday. Again God provided!

Sister Liu

 Emily and Andy absolutely loved every minute in China. They had so much fun and made some good friends. The people were so friendly and laid-back. Their lives were so much more relaxing. Our hearts tore in half when we left.

They made a new friend Mei Mei (Little Sister)

They visited the Science Museum

They fed the pigeons

People dancing in the square after dinner

 We were jealous of these backyard gardens (full of all kinds of vegetable and fruit)

Oh ... the delicious food!

Strangers gathered together to play a chess game on the street

When we were at home, my 3 years old nephew Rui Rui was sick. After four hospital visits and many tests, the doctors couldn’t find the cause of his sickness. Later my brother took him to Beijing Children’s Hospital while my sister-in-law was at home with their new born baby (he was born after we came back to America). They were under huge stress waiting for  the diagnose. I pray that it’s something treatable and God will heal him soon! (UPDATE: as of August 5th, Rui Rui was diagnosed with Leukemia. This news shook our whole family. The doctors at the Children's Hospital in Beijing gave up on him. He was transferred to a private hospital and started chemo over there. We prayed that God will make Himself known in this situation. He will make a way where there seems to be no way!!! Please join us and say a prayer for precious Rui Rui and his parents.)

Everything is a history now. If our last trip to China was the fastest trip we had (http://woodwardbuzz.blogspot.com/2013/06/china-trip-2013.html), this trip would be the most adventurous one. Looking back, I would say that it was one of our best vacations yet: friends, foods, sightseeing, adventure, … and best of all, three weeks of no cooking or cleaning. I’m truly thankful for this trip! And thank God for keeping us!

Thank you Mom for your servant attitude! We were spoiled.