We arrived in Guangzhou, pulled up to the wonderful White Swan and was not disappointed! We had heard that the hotel was wearing down a bit and that it was going to close next April for major renovations. It is a bit worn and it is going to close in April for major renovations - but it is just as lovely, the service just as good, and the rooms marvelous. Except for the picture of Lucy's (an American style restaurant with burgers, pizza, steaks, milk shakes and salads) and the picture of us at Lucy's eating - the photos are from our window on the 24th floor of the White Swan - which sits right over the Pearl River - the view is just beautiful - especially at night! Dinner was great - very simple, very American and the kids were so excited. Ben got burger and fries - and my gourmet daughter got a bucketful of mussels and french fries - it was very satisfying. Every where we looked - at Lucy's, walking the street were American families with new China dolls (babies and many older children). It was just amazing because we had this vision of only a few children - and the placed was packed with new families. Many, many young babies - 7 months to 15 months with cleft pallets - some who had no operations, some who had their first - some worse than others. There were children that had obviously been malnutritioned, children with more challenges other than physical - children missing limbs -- all of them being loved on by these incredible parents whose eyes and hearts were shining with love. There was a little boy that had just come from Harbin China, Ben's city. There was a family that had 3 boys, older biologically and one 24 year old daughter biologically. They had adopted two girls from China, older, several years ago and were back now adopting an 8 year old and 5 year old who had been in an orphanage for only about a year, which means they lost their parents or were abandoned later in life and still had memories of their biological parents - amazing people. It was so heartening to seeing these families being created with children who may have never been adopted but because the special needs children can be adopted quickly, there is a great demand for these children now - the wait for "healthy" babies is now over 5 years - so many families, not wanting to wait have opened their homes and hearts to these sweet, sweet children, who will get good surgery, support, and whatever they need to lead healthy happy normal lives.
We arrived in Guangzhou, pulled up to the wonderful White Swan and was not disappointed! We had heard that the hotel was wearing down a bit and that it was going to close next April for major renovations. It is a bit worn and it is going to close in April for major renovations - but it is just as lovely, the service just as good, and the rooms marvelous. Except for the picture of Lucy's (an American style restaurant with burgers, pizza, steaks, milk shakes and salads) and the picture of us at Lucy's eating - the photos are from our window on the 24th floor of the White Swan - which sits right over the Pearl River - the view is just beautiful - especially at night! Dinner was great - very simple, very American and the kids were so excited. Ben got burger and fries - and my gourmet daughter got a bucketful of mussels and french fries - it was very satisfying. Every where we looked - at Lucy's, walking the street were American families with new China dolls (babies and many older children). It was just amazing because we had this vision of only a few children - and the placed was packed with new families. Many, many young babies - 7 months to 15 months with cleft pallets - some who had no operations, some who had their first - some worse than others. There were children that had obviously been malnutritioned, children with more challenges other than physical - children missing limbs -- all of them being loved on by these incredible parents whose eyes and hearts were shining with love. There was a little boy that had just come from Harbin China, Ben's city. There was a family that had 3 boys, older biologically and one 24 year old daughter biologically. They had adopted two girls from China, older, several years ago and were back now adopting an 8 year old and 5 year old who had been in an orphanage for only about a year, which means they lost their parents or were abandoned later in life and still had memories of their biological parents - amazing people. It was so heartening to seeing these families being created with children who may have never been adopted but because the special needs children can be adopted quickly, there is a great demand for these children now - the wait for "healthy" babies is now over 5 years - so many families, not wanting to wait have opened their homes and hearts to these sweet, sweet children, who will get good surgery, support, and whatever they need to lead healthy happy normal lives.
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