January 31, 2008

We just got a call from our local guide saying that our paper work for Mei's U.S. Visa looks good.

In other words, everything is ready. We will go tomorrow to pick up her Visa. That's it. We will be done.

We fly out of here Sat. morning at 8:25 for Hong Kong, then onto Newark and then Atlanta. Keep praying for our flight, that we will have no problems getting out of here on time!

Yay! We are almost home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, time for some shopping.

Special thanks to Nana for getting our U.S. Senator's office involved (long story) and to Dennis for placing a few calls to his buddies. The U.S. Consulate pushed us through!!

Yesterday we wanted to eat at McDonald's. Our little map indicated that it was not that far away, so along with the Moores, we packed up the babies and headed out in search of "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onion on a sesame seed bun".

After getting off the island and across a busy thoroughfare, we arrived at the spot where according to the map, McDonald's should be located...

Nothing...

So, we stopped a local and through a series of hands gestures and broken English, we found out that we had to take a left and keep on down another busy street.

Off we went again.

After 6 blocks or so, we stopped to ask another local. She said something similar about continuing down the busy street. A few blocks more and the girls decided to stop and send us ahead to do some recon.

Bill and I walked another 3 blocks or so and tried to find another local for help. Something about two guys asking for help just didn't sit right with the locals, and we did not have much luck. We even had one guy say "sorry, no English" with a better accent then I have.

But then we saw it. McDonald's!!!!

We tracked back and found the girls and finished the hike to McDonald's.

 

We made it!

 

Eating In

The food tasted just like an American McDonald's. Wonderful.

The area around the McDonalds was a pedestrian mall area. So, we walked back to our hotel a different way and followed the pedestrian mall. It was very crowded.

After we walked an appropriate distance, it was time to turn and head back to the river and our hotel. But the road we were on dead ended, and we had to track back down another side street. While on that street, we passed a long alley, at the end of which I could see the river. We decided to take the alley.

We inadvertently stumbled upon a back alley fish market. It was terrible. The smell...the sites...They were gutting fish along the alley and they had baskets of eels, snakes, fish parts, and other things that only God knows what they were.

Bill got a picture of the alley to show how narrow it was, but we did not get any pictures of the fish. Partly because we wanted out of the alley as quickly as possible and partly because we did not want them to run us off.

Never Take an Alley in China

We finally made it home and then went shopping. We got goodies for the family and for Mei. It was a good time, but a LONG walk. I slept like a baby last night.

 

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