Things are continuing to go very well here in Changsha, Hunan province. I don't recall where Sue left off in her post yesterday - I can't access our blog because I'm now fully convinced that China has prohibited anyone from reading blogs on blogspot.com (and perhaps other blogs) - but I'll try to give a summary of what's happened since yesterday afternoon.
Last night we celebrated Stacie's first birthday at a local restaurant. Most of our group was there, but a couple of them were not because their child was in the hospital earlier in the day and have been diagnosed with pneumonia - fortunately each child seems to be doing better, although from what I have heard the Chinese hospitals are, well, less than sanitary.
Anyway, the dinner was quite good - we had a lot of different Chinese dishes, including Mongolian beef, a type of vegetable soup, chicken, fish (all of it except for the eyeballs), beef and vegetables, etc. It was actually a very nice restaurant and we had a separate room just for our group. The price was incredibly cheap - including the birthday cake that was brought in, the cost for our entire family including tip was 95 yuan, which is less than US $12. I suspect the same meal in the US would have cost at least $50 or so. Although this is cheap for us, for the Chinese it isn't. I heard from someone that was part of the group that they talked to someone at a major retailer here who apparently earns 1,000 yuan a month, which is $125 a month.
This once again illustrates the real China - in some instances it has most or all of the amenities we would expect in a modern economy but yet for the most part the people are left out of that. For example, the hotel in which we are staying here in Changsha is a 5 star hotel in a 43 story building. The hotel is certainly one of the nicest that I have stayed in - the lobby is truly beautiful, there are every kind of modern conveniences, including free high speed internet, a very nice swimming pool, an 8 lane bowling alley (and we bowled today!), and a bunch of other stuff.
Beyond that, the service at the hotel is incredible and certainly beyond anything I have ever experienced. On two separate occasions, one woman at the hotel's concierge desk actually accompanied one of the members of the group who had problems with their battery recharger for their camcorder. So this hotel employee, while she was working, changed her clothes and took the taxi with the group member who needed the help and he was eventually able to get his problem figured out. This same hotel employee also heard about Stacie's birthday and she along with 3 other hotel employees brought up a birthday cake for Stacie!
Right beyond the hotel, however, is clearly a very poor area where the living conditions look very bad. This is the story of China - modern in some respects but third world in many other respects.
Some other random things before I sign off:
- I've been feeling chilled since late afternoon - I've got the windows open, it has to be in the mid to high 80s in the hotel room and for a while I had a blanket on me. Just in the last little bit I have been feeling better. Perhaps I got the chills from Stacie (a lot of babies have colds and 2 have pneumonia) or perhaps I'm not drinking enough water. I'm starting to drink more bottled water right now and hopefully I will feel better soon.
- Because I've been under the weather, Sue went with the kids to dinner without me. She just returned and said that, unbelievably, Stacie is apparently potty trained! She pointed at her diaper (which is one of the baby sign language) and because Sue has seen Stacie do other baby sign language she put her on the potty. And Stacie then went poop on the toilet. Sue is amazed, as am I - we are so blessed. We are also mindful, however, that regardless of the things that Stacie has done that we are still blessed - and we are mindful of those parents having to deal with pneumonia and other things as well. We've prayed for them and their baby.
- There is some sort of holiday or celebration going on here - there were fireworks at 5:30 am this morning and there have been some this evening as well. Not sure why, but I hope it doesn't happen at 5:30 am tomorrow morning as well.
- Last but not least, attached are a few pictures from yesterday's birthday party. Enjoy.
By the way, I'm now feeling considerably better. I even have the windows shut and the air conditioning back on (and no blanket on!).
Thanks again to all of you for your comments and your prayers.
Gord
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