Wild Goose Pagoda

On Friday, Aug. 29, we were awake at 5:30 am to catch our flight from Lanzhou to XiAn. It is about an hour drive just to get to the Lanzhou airport. We did get a box breakfast to eat on the ride to the airport. It is just an hour plane ride as XiAn is in a neighboring province.

After checking into the hotel, we had lunch, and then took a van to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. This is a Buddhist site built in 652 AD to hold artifacts that a local Chinese monk brought back from India. He walked to India, studied Buddhism for several years, and then traveled back to XiAn to teach the locals.

On the pagoda grounds we attended a talk on Chinese calligraphy and painting. They also displayed some of the local artists paintings from very traditional to somewhat more contemporary.

For supper we had a dumpling feast. They put every type of food into the dumplings from chicken and pork to vegetables, and even cooked walnuts. It was very delicious.

This and that around Lanzhou

On Thursday morning, Aug. 28, we checked out some sights within walking distance of our hotel. We first stopped at the city temple. Nearly all Chinese cities have a city temple. The one in Lanzhou has been converted into an open air market place although it still has the temple architecture.

We stopped in a store to buy some stamping stones for Nora and Trent. These are rectangular stones with a person's name carved into the bottom. You press them in ink and then use the stamp instead of a signature. This is still the way most Chinese people make their mark on official documents.

After the temple we went to a nearby Chinese Christian Church. It is obviously a government approved one, but still neat to connect with others who share our faith. The inside is fairly simple with wooden stadium seats instead of pews. There is a stage decorated with dried flowers and a simple alter. On Sunday mornings they worship 3,000 people in two services and have evening classes every night except Mondays.

This afternoon we are taking it easy at the hotel. Tomorrow we will catch an early morning flight to Xi'An. Trent is doing well. He did not eat much the first day but has a healthy appetite since. We are grateful he is sleeping through the night although it takes a little while for him to wind down in the evening at bedtime. He is starting to feel more comfortable with his new mom and dad and even his big sister.

The Great Wall

What is a visit to China without seeing the Great Wall. I know I am a little late on this as our visit was last Saturday, Aug. 23, but better late than never. It is about an hour's drive from Beijing. On our way there we visited a jade factory. There are many good sources of jade in the Beijing area. They had all sorts of objects from jewelry to statues. One interesting piece is a multilayered ball that they make from a single piece. It is called a family ball where each layer represents a different generation. We bought a small jade dog as Trent's Chinese zodiac is the dog. From the jade factory we headed the rest of the way to the Great Wall.

Here we are on the Great Wall of China. As you can see, this section is in a vary hilly region.

The steps up the Wall can be quite steep and the spacing between steps is uneven. We made it up to the first guard tower on the hill. Parts of the Wall were started over 2,000 years ago, although I don't think out section is quite that old. Still, it is amazing to be walking on a structure that was built before the discover of America by the Europeans.

After climbing around on the Wall for a couple hours we stopped at a Friendship store for lunch. These are special stores for foreign tourist and have an interesting selection of handmade Chinese wares. From there we went to the Emperor's Summer Palace. It has actually been in use for much longer than the Forbidden City. They have a quite large man-made lake, impressive as it was all dug by hand.

On the way back to the hotel we passed by the Bird's Nest, the Olympic stadium for Beijing. It was the day before the closing ceremonies. You can see the Olympic torch still burning in the middle of the stadium.

Gansu Provincial Museum

Yesterday, Wednesday, Aug. 27, we visited the Gansu Provincial Museum. We were very impressed. It is comparable to some of the better quality museums in the US. It was very clean with updated displays, and even had English as well as Chinese descriptions. There are some displays on dinosaurs and early mammals, but the main displays are on the silk road which ran through Lanzhou. The silk road was the main trading route to bring silk to the Middle East and Europe. It is also one of the reasons there is a Muslim popular in Lanzhou (although it is only 2%). One rule of thumb is that anywhere there is a Muslim popular in China is a place that was involved in trade.

The centerpiece of the museum is a bronze horse found in a tomb that is about 2,000 years old. It is an interesting design depicting how fast the horses were. It has only one hoof on the ground and this is on the back of a bird that both symbolizes speed and helps to stabilizes the statue. We have bought a smaller replica to remind Trent of his home province.

After the museum we went to a replica waterwheel near the river. It was designed by a local inventor many years ago. At one time they were very common along the river. They are used to supply water for irrigation.

Near the waterwheel, they showed us sheepskin bladder rafts that were used to transport goods across the river in ancient times before there were bridges. Lanzhou was where the silk road crossed the Yellow river.

We spent the rest of the day relaxing at the hotel. For supper we went to a local restaurant and were served a Delicious mutten-filled pastry as well as other interesting dishes.

Five-Spring Mountain Park

On Tuesday morning, Aug. 26 we visited the Five-Spring Mountain Park in Lanzhou. There is no more Chinese paperwork for us to do. There are still some for the Chinese officials and our guide to finish. Cheif of these is Trent's Chinese passport. That takes about five days so it's the main reason we need to stick around Lanzhou. While we are waiting the guide will show us some of the local sights. Today it is this park.

The local legend is that a Chinese general was sent to this region to scout things out and fight the nomads. The water from the Yellow river was not acceptable so he poked his spear in the gound five times and springs came out from the spear holes.

Here is the entrence to the park.

We encountered several locals practicing Chinese yo-yo's (also known as 'diabolos'). They tried to teach Connie, Linda, and Grandpa how to do them, with a big emphasis on try. Connie and Linda did buy a couple of the yo-yo's.

Next we saw a woman practicing kung-fu, not the movie type. She gave us a demonstration with a folding fan.

There was a Buddist temple in the middle of the park. It was interesting seeing the monks, the statues, and a large container for burning incense.

The final place in the park was a zoo. It had most of the typical animals, but in addition had a real live panda. At least we assumed it was alive. When we visited, he was sleeping and not in a very flashy position as you can see from the picture.

For lunch, we ate at a beef noodle restaraunt. One of the appetizer was yak meet. It did not taste like chicken, more like beef. We had the afternoon free to rest and relax back at the hotel.

Forbidden City

It is Monday afternoon, Aug. 25, and for the first time in several days we don't have anything on our schedule, neither touring nor adoption. It is a good time to get up-to-date on our travels. The last post we left you with, before Trent, was at lunch on Friday, Aug. 22. After lunch we went to Tienanmen Square. This is a big public square in front of the Forbidden City. On its other side is Mao's tomb. This year they have a lot of other displays to celebrate the Olympic games.

Here is our group in front of the Beijing Olympic games symbol in Tienanmen Square.

From there we entered the Forbidden City through the famous gate with Mao's portrait. It is called the Forbidden City because only the Emperor and his officials were allowed there. It's construction began in 1406 and it served as the residence for 24 emperors. We are amazed at walking through a place with so much history. It has been in existence since before Columbus arrived in America. Nora was very curious about it. She wanted to know where the 'king' was.

Here is the Emperor's throne. (No, they would not let us sit in it.)

After the Forbidden City we went to a Chinese tea ceremony. We tried about six different types of tea. The lady there should the different ways in which each type is brewed.

The final event of the day was a Chinese acrobat show. They had contortionists, women doing amazing things on bicycles, and some high-flying, death-defying acrobatics. There was some audience participation as their seating was not designed for people over six foot. We finished the day with another hearty supper that included Peking duck. (It did not have the head.)

Chinese paperwork

On Monday morning, Aug. 25 we went to the Chinese government adoption office in Lanzhou. On the way there we stopped to get photographs of Trent for his Chinese passport and a family photo for the adoption paperwork. At the adoption office we met with several officials. Also the director and an assistant director of Trent's orphanage were there. We filled out several different forms with the same information. They needed our thumbprints (in red ink) on one of the documents and also Trent's handprint. Usually they get the child's footprint, but with Trent's condition the hand was easier.

Trent was not happy about putting his hand on the ink.

Here is his handprint.

The orphanage director presented us with a picture book from them. (This is the same man who had protected Trent during the van accident.) This is very unusual. This did not happen with Nora and we have never heard of anything similar. We will have to get it translated.

We got to ask them about Trent's life in the orphanage. It is in the city of QingYang in the southeastern part of the Gansu province. It is a relatively small orphanage. There are about 57 children, all of them are special needs. Of these children, 36 of then are younger than 2 years old. Ours was the 61st foreign adoption in the Gansu province this year. It was only the 4th international adoption from the QingYang orphanage ever. This is the first adoption for the Harrah Agency from this orphanage.

Trent usually takes a nap at about 10 am and another at about noon. He goes to bed at about 8 pm in the evening. He is still taking a bottle with a mixture of rice flour and formula. At about 6 pm the children of the orphanage usually watch a TV children's program. Trent does not have any toy he prefers, but he does like things with the colors green, red, and yellow. The orphanage gave him the name of Chang Yu. In Chinese Chang means prosperous and Yu means jade. We have decided that his middle name will be Changyu in order to help him remember his country of origin.

A bit of a scare

Thank you all for your prayers. We had a little longer wait then what we were expecting, so we didn't get to post last night. Trent's orphanage is quite a ways away from Lanzhou, at least a 6 hour drive. While we were waiting for them to show up, our guide got a cell phone call that they had a flat tire about an hour from Lanzhou. He went out to help them. Turns out it was a little more serious than just a flat. A tire blew and the van flipped. There were a couple people hurt but not seriously. Trent was just fine, just a little bit shaken. The orphanage director was holding him and kept him safe during the accident. Again, thank you for your prayers.

We finely got Trent at about 8pm on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008. Here he is coming in to our hotel room with one of the orphanage helpers.

Like all gotcha's, Trent wasn't very happy with his new mother at first.

Dad didn't do any better.

Trent did calm down later. He slept very well that night and seems no worse for wear after all the excitement. We are very, very grateful he is with us now.

Nearly time

Sorry we didn't updated yesterday. We were a little worn out from touring and probably still from jet lag, so we went to bed rather early. I will post some more from our Beijing tours later.

As I type we are in the hotel in Lanzhou waiting for them to bring Trent. It should be within the next half hour or so. They were suppose to be here earlier but phoned that they had a flat tire. Our guide drove out to help them.

Needless to say, we are just a bit nervous. We are double checking our paperwork and making sure we have the proper gifts for the caregivers.

Hopefully we will post a picture of our new family after things have settled down.

Lunch

After the silk factory we had lunch at a local restaurant. The food included bamboo chicken (which was cooked in actual bamboo), mushroom soup, and a lot of other Chinese delicacies. Everything was delicious.

Nora practiced using chopsticks.

Silk factory

After the Temple of Heaven we went to a silk factory. They take cocoons from silk worms, soak them in water, and then unravel them. Each one is made up of a single thread. Sometimes two worms make cocoons together. When that happens they can't unravel them so they stretch them out and use them in a silk blanket. Here is our group trying their hand at stretching silk. Of course they also offered silk products for us to purchase, and we didn't want to appear unfriendly.

Temple of Heaven

Our first day have been busy but good. The breakfast at the hotel was mostly western with a little local flavor. You can ask my dad and Connie about the chicken feet. (No that is not a euphemism.) Our fist sight seeing was at the Temple of Heaven. This is where the Emperor came twice a year to pray to the gods for a good harvest and to sacrifice animals.

Near the temple is where a lot of retired citizens get together. They gather with others and do a lot of activities such as playing cards, exercising, and sing. These two ladies are doing some karaoke.

This photo shows where the emperor stood to do his sacrifices. Here is our little empress with her grandparents. You can see the top of the Temple of Heaven in the background.

Arrived

First, for all of you who are wondering, we have arrived safe and sound in Beijing. The last connecting from Tokyo to Beijing was a little delayed, but we arrived only a half hour late at about 10 pm local time. It was about midnight by the time we got settled into the hotel and were ready for sleep. All the luggage arrived with us, too. The hotel is ok but could be better. It is a little stuffy in the rooms as the air conditioning could be better. The beds are "solid" to put it kindly. It is the best we can do with the Olympics still running. Despite this everyone got a good first night sleep.

Characters

This will be Trent's new family: his big sister Nora, his dad Kyle and his mom Linda.

Nora Noel Hollman is 4 1/2 years old. She spent her first year of life in an orphanage in the city of HengYang in the Hunan province of China. She came into our family on December 6, 2004, just a few days past her first birthday. Nora loves to talk. She is a people person who is always squeezing her way into being the center of attention. She likes to ride her bike, her scooter, be pulled in her wagon, or just go for a walk. She also likes to swim, especially with her mom, and can put her head all the way under. Nora enjoys singing, coloring, and playing games. A typical four-year-old, there is not much she doesn't like doing (except maybe listening to mom and dad).

Kyle Willis Hollman is a research scientist in the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Michigan. His specialty is ultrasonic imaging which he is using to measure the elastic properties of various tissues in the eye. Your typical nerd, he enjoys science fiction and fantasy, both in books and movies. In the fall he runs a fantasy football league that includes (mostly male) family and friends. At church he sings bass in the choir and occasionally teaches an adult Bible study on Sunday mornings. He is chief photographer and pizza delivery boy for Linda's church activities. He also enjoys being dragged to social functions by his dear and lovely wife.

Linda Marie Hollman is director of outreach, assimilation, and women's ministries at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Livonia, Michigan. In addition, she sings soprano in the church choir. In her spare time she likes reading and sewing. She has a strange addiction to garage sales which, as addictions go, is mostly harmless. Her other hobby is travel. She has been to 5 of the 7 continents only missing Australia and Antarctica. For some reason she wants to stop at 6.

These are the characters that will be a big part of Trent's life for a long time, God willing.

Satellite Photos

Trent's home province is Gansu. It's capital is Lanzhou where we will go to get him. Here is an interesting satellite photo of Lanzhou. As you can see from the photo, it is rather squeezed into a mountain valley. The upper part of the Yellow River flows through the center of town. Trent's orphanage is in QingYang, still in Gansu province but a ways away from Lanzhou. I found an interesting satellite photo of terraced farming near QingYang. And here is an regular photo of some different terraced farming.

Beginnings

This is Trent. He was born in China and has spent the first couple years of his life in an orphanage in the city of QingYang in the Gansu province. He was born with club feet. Other than that he is in fairly good health. The orphanage gave him the name of Qing Chang Yu. According to their reports he is generally a quiet little boy. That is about all the information we know about him, except for one more thing. He needs a family.

This is where we come into the picture. On August 20, 2008 we will board a plane in Detroit, MI and fly to Minneapolis, MN. There we will be joined by one pair of gandparents and an aunt. From there all of us will fly to Tokyo, Japan, change planes, and head to Beijing, China. We will spend a few days there touring and getting adjusted to the time change. On Sunday, August 24 we will board another plane and fly from Beijing to Lanzhou, the capital of the Gansu province. After we settle into the hotel, at about 4pm, they will bring Trent to us there. He will be united with his new family. We will spend a few days in and around Lanzhou while all the paperwork is finished. From there we are taking a short trip to the city of XiAn in a neighboring province. This place has the tomb of one of the first Chinese emperors with the famous terra cotta army. After taking in the sights there, we fly to the city of Gaungzhou in the southern part of China. It is just a little ways north of Hong Kong. All Chinese adoptions from the U.S. have to come to the U.S. consulate here to obtain the proper paperwork for bringing home their children. Finally on Thursday, September 4 we will board a plane for the return home with our new son. After stops in Tokyo and Minneapolis (to drop off grandparents and aunt) we will arrive back in Detroit. And then the real adventure begins.

That is the story for now. Over the next month we hope to keep everyone up-to-date on our experiences throughout this trip on this blog. Check in regularly. Posting may be light until the trip begins. During the travels we hope to post daily.