Last night we completed the first leg of our trip, our time in Gansu Province in the capital city of Lanzhou. Before we arrived, we weren't sure what to expect. Though not as modern as Guangzhou (we stayed in the ONLY 5-star hotel in the whole city - which would NOT be considered a 5-star hotel in the States!), we were pleasantly surprised. The weather in Lanzhou was very comfortable - cool in the mornings, but comfortably warm in the afternoon. We enjoyed sightseeing most afternoons, visiting the Yellow River (the biggest river in China), the Lanzhou Zoo (typically Chinese, w/ sad looking animals in stark cages and a filthy panda), hiking a mountain to a pagoda, visiting the Gansu History Museum, and walking along the river parks. We also enjoyed the night market in which merchants set out all their items on the street (There were lots of socks for sale some reason!). The sense of community was enviable w/ streets filled with shoppers and walkers late into the night as well as ladies dancing in a town square - it was sort of like country line dancing, anyone could join in and get their evening exercise. The parks too during the day were always filled with people, young and old, socializing, playing Chinese chess, singing opera, and spending time together.
The horse statue is one of the national icons for China. It originates from Wuwei, where Kari is from. Supposedly horses for the emperor and for battle were trained in the Wuwei area.
Last night's flight from Lanzhou to Guanzhou was a trial run for our long flight home. Kari did some crying, but ultimately fell asleep. We arrived around midnight to Guangzhou, so we're all a bit worn out and trying to rest up a today. Kari had a fever of 102 last night as well, but it seems to have gone down today.
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