St. Sophia church and a GREAT lunch!

Matt and Elliott are taking a nap together, so I am going to try to adjust my blogging time to mid-afternoon while he is napping.  It seems like it's going to be difficult to blog at night, as I have in the past, because that is the time he needs me the most.

Elliott was really restless last night, but was able to get back to sleep after about half of the interruptions.  And only once did I have to stand up and walk the floors last night.  It's getting better!  He moves a LOT while he is sleeping, like Charlotte.  Three times I had to move him from the foot of the bed back to his pillow next to me during the night.  This is how we found him this morning...

(Mom Hardy, he loves the blanket you made for him!)

Yawn and streeeeetch!

Good morning, XinRong! 

(Mom Burbank, he loves the little monkey you gave him!)

He was not a big fan of the crib, never used it, so he was excited to help Baba put it in the hallway.



His favorite game is still to turn the TV on and off.  Guaranteed giggles every time.

Matt and I wondered again today how we managed to get the cutest kid in all of China.

Elliott can get dressed almost independantly.  He is finally starting to understand my American accent, and will follow simple commands in Chinese, like "come to Mama" or "please put your shoes on".

We wandered around the hotel today.  There were a few aquariums behind the hotel kitchen, and I don't think it's because the cook likes to keep pets. 

Does anyone know what these are?



Even though St. Sophia is within walking distance, we took a van ride over there.



Photos of Harbin



St. Sophia church is beautiful.  It was built in or around 1908 by the Russians.  Today it has been turned into a Harbin historical museum.  Lin gave us a great tour of all of the photos and told us a lot about the history of Elliott's hometown.

Yi ge gao xing jia ren! (one happy family!)

The walls are peeling, but you can still easily see the beauty it still holds.  Russian architecture at it's best!

The old church was filled with black and white photos from days gone by.  I took several photos, but won't go into detail on this blog.  I will post just one.  This photo is of the 'father of Harbin'.  Forgive me, I can't remember his name, but it's the big guy on the right.  He helped defeat the Huns.  The Hun population makes up most of modern day China, but the nationality that makes up much of Harbin descendants is men, which is pronounced /mun/.  They are typically taller than most other Chinese.



For 2 yuan (about a penny), we bought a small bag of bird seed to feed the pigeons.



There was a pre-nuptual couple there today taking wedding pictures.  Apparently in China, they do this well in advance of the wedding, and not on the actual wedding day itself.

Lin took us to a local market.  Think "American flea market".  Lots of cheap goods, some hand-made and some just mass produced.  It was a small building with lots of people and lots of merchandise.  Very crowded.  I tried bartering on my own in Chinese, with Lin standing next to me for advice, and did get a few nice bargains!

Back outside....



See ya'll later! I'm outta here!

Off to lunch!

After a rousing rendition of "head, shoulders, knees and toes" we arrived at the local restaraunt Lin suggested, best known for it's Chinese pancakes.  Very popular in northeast China.

We treated Lin and our driver to lunch.  :o)  A huge lunch for four (and a half!) people was less than 130 yuan ($20 US dollars) and it was so so good!

Chinese pancakes are NOT what you have in your mind right now.  Think thin flour and egg 'pancake' filled with meat (for some) and vegetables and spicy sauce, then rolled up.

We have to clear the table of all knives before sitting Elliott down.  He has earned the nickname 'ginsu master' from his love of cutting anything and everything he can think of and gets a little too carried away.  Typical boy?  :o)

I also got to try a local-made Harbin beer.  It is a lot like Budweiser.

Then back to the hotel, where the boys are (were) resting.  They are up now, with shoes on, so it's time for me to go.  Little man likes to go walk in the park, and I'm going to try to get some more bargains on some little trinkets for the kids back home.  I'm feeling better today, still have a cough, but no fever.  Thank you for all the kind emails and comments and prayers.  We love you all!