Trip to China
May 23  |  May 25  |  May 26  |  May 27  |  May 28  |  May 29  |  May 30  |  May 31  |  June 1  |  June 2  |  June 3
June 4  |  June 5  |  June 6  |  June 7  |  June 8

Saturday, June 4 We awoke this morning in a panic.  Normally we wake at just before or right after 5:00 a.m. and so with a 9:50 a.m. departure we expected that we would have a ton of time in the morning to finish packing, take showers, get breakfast, and checkout of the Mandarin Garden Hotel.  Well the best laid plans of mice and men went awry as they always do when we awoke at 8:00 a.m.  Isabelle had slept straight through from 9:45 p.m. to 8 a.m. and so our little alarm clock had let us down.  Proving that the Leist clan can overcome we summoned up the energy and accomplished everything with 20 minutes to spare plus Isabelle was in a great mood because of the extra, uninterrupted sleep.  We left the hotel around 10 a.m. and went to the airport. We rushed through the process at the airport, with the help of Sophie, and boarded the airplane bound for Guangzhou.  On Isabelle's first flight and first time out of her home province of Jiangsu, we were treated to the initial idea of what flying with her will be like.  It may be a little rough at times and there will be ups and downs but Isabelle will actually do very well.  She napped and ate and played a bit; not bad. We arrived at the White Swan and set up shop.  Tori has her own room.  We have high speed internet in both rooms and that helps because while Isabelle sleeps we can use the computer in Tori's room and when Isabelle is awake we can use it in the other room.  After setting up shop here we went to Lucy's and had food from several countries.  Tori had spaghetti (Italy), I had fish and chips (England), and Stefanie had a cheeseburger (America).  It was great food.  We then set off to the grocery store and shopped along the way.  The street vendors here are amazing.  Some sell art that is handmade and you can watch them make it right in front of you.  Stefanie bought a beautiful two piece outfit for Isabelle's "Red Couch" picture and also "squeaky shoes."  Tori got a present for her grandma and then it was back to the White Swan. Stefanie gave Isabelle a bath and then rocked her to sleep.  Let me tell you that that little bugger is as cute as a button but when she doesn't want to do something you can bet we will hear about it.  It took Stefanie about 30 minutes of rocking her before she gave up and stopped crying and fell asleep. In the morning we will call Asher, Dalton, and Zach.  Good night from Guangzhou, 5 days until we get home.

Fresh from bathtime, Isabelle laughs at Tori and Stefanie More laughs Isabelle poses with her first pair of "squeaky" shoes

All of us in front of the Mandarin Garden Hotel, Nanjing, China

Tori and Isabelle relax from their travels

Shaiman Island lights outside our hotel window at the White Swan


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