Xiangjiang Safari Park

There was no official business today and some of us wanted to go to the safari park on the outskirts of Guangzhou. It reminded me of the San Diego zoo/safari park in many ways, but what you will not see in the US is an open range section where you drive among the animals...wild animals ("safari on wheels"). We were on a tram thingy, but locals just drive their cars along the meandering path with nothing separating most of the animals from the cars, and some moats/low natural material fences for the meat-eaters (e.g., lions, tigers) and large animals (elephants, but not the giraffes). After that, we walked from one end of the park to the other ("safari on feet") and it was hot and sticky, but also enjoyable as the grounds are tropical and beautiful. There were frequent reminders that we were not in the US in the form of kids just peeing wherever their parents placed them on the sidewalk - I was pleased that Harper was happy in the stroller. Some cultural differences I will never understand.

We got back to the hotel late afternoon, sans a nap. So now the trick was not to let her fall asleep until an early bedtime so we played her current favorite game - put all the toys on the bed, push all the toys on the floor, laugh, put all the toys on the bed, ... you get the picture (tsk, tsk, right? encouraging her and then hoping she doesn't do it on that hellish 12 hour flight home?!? one day at a time...). And then she was rubbing her eyes so out we went into the rain, which started when we were finishing the safari park (and washing all that pee off the sidewalks, sorry, that's what I kept thinking as we took cover for the worst to pass). I had my travel umbrella and we took the 2-block stroll to Starbucks. Yes, in China, great new experiences, but I need my fix so I had a mocha while Harper ate all the chicken out of the panini they sell. And she plucked a biscotti off the rack and she had that, too. We continued our stroll around the block to get more diapers and she went right up and grabbed a cup of noodles, so once back to the room she devoured those, too. Add a night time bottle of milk and she was out like a light by 7:30 pm. If you are interested, I had a power bar and oatmeal brought from home.

In our one week together, she has changed so much. Much of it is expected as the traumatic experience of Gotcha Day (and I think "trauma" is an accurate word for what many experience, including Harper) ebbs and trust develops with her forever mama. Harper has not been sad since we have arrived in Guangzhou. She is still a little dubious of me on waking in the morning, and kind of looks at me sideways before putting her head down, then looking again (hmmm, that mama lady is still here). This morning was the first time she sat herself up pretty quickly and gave me a smile. Progress. There are mirrors in the elevator of the hotel and we practice saying "Mama", "Harper (or Yin Yin)". She has the cutest little voice!

This is just the wackiest mascot, but everyone else was getting a picture with him. Before this
picture, Harper was touching his nose. Amazing I don't look as hot and miserable as I felt at the time!

A very popular animal exhibit, as you can imagine. Pandas were inside because of the heat.

I liked this guy because he was rubbing his neck on the tree - reminded me of
our Mickey cat at home always wanting his ears rubbed. And you can see the road for tram and cars  -
nothing separating it from the animals.

Harper demonstrating her noodle slurping at lunch.

No-nap girl at Starbucks enjoying her biscotti.