The first stop on our tour today was the Olympic village. We weren’t allowed into any of the buildings. We saw the birds’ nest and then ventured over toward the water cube where all Olympic water sports took place. The area is absolutely huge—I can’t imagine how chaotic the place must have been during the Olympic games. Even though it was still hazy, it was really quite warm walking around the pavilion.
We then went on to the Silk Factory. We had a tour and a demonstration that was quite fascinating. Of course, this all leads up to the big sales pitch. Well, it worked on me—I purchased a silk cover for our bed and a set of pillows. They vacuum sealed the packages so that they are easier for transportation to Canada. We walked through the different sections of the same facility. They sold some beautiful fabric by the yard and garments and items made of real silk.
We then went for lunch where more Westernized Chinese food was served. It was no longer hazy like it was before.
We then went to The Summer Palace for a tour of some of the buildings. Upon entering through the gate, the babies became the centre of attention for many visitors. We had lined the babies up in their strollers to take a photo of them all sleeping and then crowds of people pushed their way in to take photos. It was like they had celebrity status. Charlotte quite enjoys her stroller, as long as it keeps moving.
It was incredibly warm out in the sun; although, Charlotte didn’t seem to be affected by the heat like her parents were. We looked for shade whenever possible. Five of us got separated from the main group. The Summer Palace was so incredibly busy with so many people and children who just walk in the direction they wish to go without being aware of others around them. I found it challenging to watch where I was going, trying to observe the sites, while watching the ground to ensure that I didn’t run into anyone with the stroller, while keeping an eye that Charlotte didn’t loose her shoes. I’m not sure how often the children wore socks and shoes at the orphanage, as Charlotte is always biting her shoes and trying to take off her shoes and socks. We ended up going to the right at the bottom of a bridge when we should have gone to the left. There were also a lot of passageways that have 3 stairs up and then a large entrance way that needed to be stepped over, only to have to go down another 3 stairs. This tour attraction is definitely not stroller friendly. Fortunately, one of the gals that we got lost with had a cellphone and called her mate to find out where the rest of the group was. She also had a map of the whole area, so she was able to get us to where we needed to be. We stopped for a much needed drink and to feed the babies. We ended our tour with a dragon boat ride, which was quite enjoyable.
On our ride home, Charlotte got really quite fussy and was beside herself, screaming and throwing herself about. At one point she tried to bite me. I didn’t think biting was going to be a problem until today. During lunch after the orphanage visit, Charlotte was nestled into David’s chest. Without any provocation, she then clamped down on his nipple with her teeth and drew blood. She left a mark that is still sensitive. We’ve been watching Charlotte very carefully for further opportunities for her to bite. She hasn’t tried to until today.
After we returned to the room, while I was playing with Charlotte she set her teeth into my forearm and wouldn’t let go. I had to pry my arm out of her mouth. I’m not sure why she is doing this. I wish I had asked the doctor yesterday at our visit, but I didn’t think this was going to be a recurring problem. I guess this is something we’ll have to research upon returning home, as this is not acceptable behavior.
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