Topic: Fuling
As I write this, there is an outdoor plaza outside our window, pulsing with music and packed with at least a hundred people line dancing. Kinf of like a stripped down version of the Olympics Opening ceremonies, I suppose.
So we left Chongqing very early this morning to travel to the girls' hometown, Fuling. It took a couple hours by bus, but the scenery was gorgeous, even in the haze.
Finally we arrived in the city, with its distinctive suspension bridge to remind us that we were here.
After our arrival, we made a brief stop at the Fuling Dam, which keeps the waters of the heightened Yangtze from reaching the city. We also saw the spot where the Yangtze and Wujiang rivers meet, and then found our hotel, the Tai Ji.
Then it was off to the old orphanage, a place of some very happy memories for me. Many of the parents had never seen the orphanage before - their children had been brought to them in Chongqing - so this was completely new to them. Reactions in the adults ranged from calm curiousity to full-blown tears. Many of the children, though, seemed to look at the SWI as just another building, albeity with a playground.
Then it was time to visit the new facility, which is up at the very most tippy-top of Fuling. It's a beautiful new place. We got to play with the babies and/or decorate the rooms. Liann and I quickly found a baby in one of the rooms that we wanted to cuddle with. I believe this was one of the Special Needs rooms, but can't be certain, since they were all so darn cute. Liann, who usually can take or leave babies, was a wonderful friend here, finding toys and bringing them over, and generally flirting with this baby. It was very very sweet.
As a wonderful end to the day, everyone traipsed to another building in the facility, first to make dumplings, and then to eat them. It was the perfect dinner.
