Day 14: Zoo
We had another long day today just waiting (and no nap). In the morning we went to the Guangzhou Zoo. I had to run out to catch the bus as it was driving away because we were busy going up and down the escalator and did not see our group go out the door. At the zoo our guide encouraged me to stay close to her.
We must have gone up and down the hotel escalator 50 times today. Not a lot to do in the hotel for a little boy (although he seemed pretty happy with the escalator and graduated from being carried, to standing with me holding his hands, to waiving off one hand so he could hold the handrail).
The Guangzhou Zoo was one of the nicest zoos I have ever visited. When we arrived schoolchildren were just getting there for their field trip. They were interested in us. Our Chinese guide says the slang for westerners is 'big noses'.
Sawyer liked the animals but I think he liked climbing on the railings even more. Of all the animals he saw, I think he was most excited about seeing wild pigeons being fed by visitors.
The zoo has two pandas and both were out and active.
This zoo allows visitors to feed the giraffes leaves. We didn't do it. I remember Fletcher being pretty intimidated by the big giraffe heads when he was about Sawyer's age.
Our hotel in Guangzhou. It is a pretty large complex which is good and bad. There is more to do than in the hotel in the last city but I don't have as much informal contact with my travel group anymore.
Sawyer would not go down for a nap so we walked the nearby Subway to get a sandwich that we could eat in our room later on for an early dinner. He really wanted chips. While these look like a salt and vinegar bag the flavor really is 'Italian Red Meat Flavor'. I gave up chips this year; otherwise, I'd try them.
This little girl is five and a half years old. Her parents got her yesterday. She'll live in Austin, TX. They got along pretty well. Yes, Sawyer tried eating leaves at the zoo and here too. Speaking of eating, Sawyer really thinks that if he sees anyone eating that they should share with him. He's brazen. He got food from Eden today...and AJ...and Max...and a stranger from France at the playground...and a total stranger at the zoo (a local). The stranger's food was pre-packaged so I said fine. He smiles, gives them a waive, and off he goes with their food. I've bought more food just to show other parents that I'm not neglecting him but he really just likes to take other people's food.
He rarely finishes eating all this food. He eats some and then just kind of plays with it. At the pool later in the day he walked into a group of two families (who we did not know). Once 'inside' their group he realized that they did not have food and he just didn't really know what to do.
In the afternoon our group met to fill out paperwork for Sawyer's visa to enter the United States. We will have our consulate appointment in the morning. My biggest fear was not having all the paperwork needed (there are so many forms with non-descript names that it seems non-sensicle) but Michelle sent me with everything I needed from home and our local guides supplied the rest of the materials generated here in China. The visa will take a day to process and then I get to head to Hong Kong and then home. Everyone is tired of being here. This has been a long trip. Fortunately, Sawyer has made it pretty easy on me all-in-all. He's a good boy.