Saturday started early with the hotel breakfast buffet then we met our guide to return to the Guangzhou International Health Clinic to have Maya Grace's TB skin test read. It was completely negative! Whew - sigh of relief. Our guide then took us to a beautiful park - Liuhuahu Park. All of the wonderful parks here truly make me envious. There is a such a sense of community here due to the parks being a gathering spot for many. There was no admission fee to the park but once again they offered carnival type rides for the children. There was a very minimal cost for them. As in the other park there were people playing badmitton, ping-pong, people doing tai-chi, people doing ballroom dancing, exercising in what I call an adult playground, etc. There was a beautiful lake in the center which had boats for rent. The girls had a great time riding a few rides and "exercising" with the locals. Something I have not shared is how many "stares" we receive. Especially toward the girls. On numerous occasions people will literally stop and turn around and bend down to look in Mary Bailey and Anneli's faces. This has happened especially with older ladies who look weathered as if they have had a hard life. It has made me wonder if they are perhaps seeking and searching for a face - a face that has been abandoned, a little face that has haunted them and their families. I will never know. We were also concerned about the response we would receive toward Maya Grace due to the scars on her lip and her open palate. If she throws her head back when laughing it is very visible. China treasures beauty and children with special needs are considered to be bad luck. We have received nothing but positive responses toward her from the local people. Here are photos from the park!
No, your eyes are NOT deceiving you! This is an elderly gray-haired lady completly hanging upside down in the park!
MORE LATER!
A few of the rides!
As we were leaving we watched people practicing ballroom dancing. One of the ladies did not have a partner but that did not stop her!
Leaving the park
And I have to add a few of the "rule" signs located beside the rides! Enlarge them to read. You will find humor.
After the park we had nap time. We then went out to Jusco, the local Japanese large department store. They have a great grocery section so we went to stock up on more snacks for the girls and yet more noodles and dumplings for dinner. I think I am turning into rice and noodles! It was a fun day.
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