Sightseeing in Guangzhou

Yesterday was a long day. Our flight to Guangzhou was delayed two hours and we were all pretty tired and hungry arriving at the hotel well past dinner time.

But, poor Eleanor had the worst of it. As we gathered in the lobby of the Hilton in Zhengzhou, with our bags packed and ready to leave, Eleanor tripped and fell on the hard marble floor. She split open her chin. Fortunately, there is an ER nurse in our group. She helped us stop the bleeding and clean Eleanor up. 

If we'd been at home, it would have been stitches for sure. But, medical care is not the same as what we are used to in the states, and we're all nervous of the risk of infection or illness by visiting a Chinese ER (even our local guides). So, our nurse friend pinched the wound with a butterfly bandage. You'll see E's bandage in the pictures from today. She's being a huge trooper and felt much better when Grandpa Jeff texted that he has a scar on the bottom of his chin from falling when he was a child. Being like grandpa is cool.

Today is Sunday, so no businesses or government offices are open. We opted to take a tour of the city and see a few things since we have no appointments until tomorrow.

The first stop was the Six Banyan Trees Temple. The guide gave us incense to give as an offering to the female buddha, for health of the mother and her child. Eleanor wished for her chin to get better fast, like her incense stick was a birthday candle (she's cute).

Matt spent most of this stop chasing around two wild and uncontrollable 2-year old boys... probably not the last time we say this sentence in the next year.

Putting out our incense sticks.

CAUGHT them, temporarily.

The next stop was the Chen Academy. This was one of our favorites last time we were here. Built as a school for children in the extended Chen family (in the 1890s), it is filled with incredible carvings and sculptures. Everywhere you look are ornate carvings, and so detailed. It's hard to be able to take it all in, you would need days to really investigate each one.

Outside the Chen Academy

Look! Someone made a statue of 

our misbehaving boys!

And, then Steven hopped on a dragon 

and yelled, "Giddy up!"

Originally, all four of them posed, but the boys

ran off before I could snap the shot.

Mom and the girls! 

See Steven and Jefferson (well his arm)

 making a run for it below while Matt stops to 

take the picture?

After the Chen Academy we hit some craft markets and a grocery store for snacks. Good times, but not worth prying the iphones away from the boys to take pictures (sweet, calming screen time). These craft markets were more "artisan" quality goods and not the inexpensive wholesale markets we hope to go to later. So, we admired, but didn't buy. Well, Melinda did find a sub-$10 necklace that she purchased. But, we kept a wide berth of the more expensive stuff, especially with our little wild men in tow.