We had the best Christmas! What fun to have John’s mom (Sue), Tim, and SaraKay visit us in China. Mom wrote a fantastic
family letter about their trip. I copied it here with pictures.
"Our flight was long but it was so fun sharing the experience with Tim and SaraKay. John was waiting at the airport with James when we arrived. He was standing in a group of Asians as we came through the baggage area and was nearly a head taller and easily visible. The rest of the family was still up and waiting for our arrival and their household was full of excitement! Tim commented that it was fun to be in a family setting for Christmas and feel all the energy.
John and Laurel's home is lovely. It is roomy, attractively decorated, and nestled in a quiet neighborhood. They have a driver and nine-passenger van that we were able to use for all of our comings and goings and it was so convenient in the midst of that very big and busy city with its horrendous traffic. Laurel and John had planned out each day so that we were able to see some wonderful places, do some shopping, eat some Chinese food, and get a feel for the people and their lifestyles"
"Our first day there we toured the Yu Garden and a Buddhist temple. The garden was full of visitors, mostly Asian, and it became obvious that we were somewhat of a novelty as other visitors crowded around our group and even requested having their pictures taken with us. Another thing we were to encounter throughout our trip was the constant presence of small business owners hawking their wares. They were very vocal and persistent. We spent time in a large market full of open stalls with displays of everything imaginable including shops where you could purchase tailor-made coats and suits. It was fun to watch John and Laurel dicker with the shop keepers over the price of the merchandise. Everything was negotiable and Laurel had it down to an art form.
Another constant in our sight-seeing was the presence of beggars in the streets. It was heart-wrenching to see them wrapped up against the cold and working the crowds of people. It reminded me of Grandma Ilene's experiences while she lived in Pakistan and dealt with the poverty she saw each day on the streets of Peshawar."
