Trip Number One - Meeting the Family

After spending three days with Xin Jiao in Shenzhen we went to Guangzhou for 2 days.  There we did some sight seeing and visited the American Consulate.  I got to ride my first 100+ mile per hour train. It was dark and I didn't get to see a thing. We checked into our hotel room(s) and I found my first poorly translated sign.  They were trying to warn me the the floor in the bathroom was slippery when wet.


The Hotels in China are very nice and the cost is very low.  I paid about $30.00 a day for a four star hotel room.  They also had a continental breakfast the was a feast fit for a King an Queen.

Another thing that amused me while in China was some of the American businesses  that were there.   McDonalds, KFC, and Pizza Hut, OK but, Star Bucks, Circle K, 7-11, Dunkin Donuts were a real surprise to me.


So I stopped in the local Circle K to get a pack of smokes...  Wait, I don't smoke.  OK a bag of Cheetos; they didn't have them.  What if I got a headache, maybe I should get a pack of Goodies; Nope not them either, so I will settle for a Diet Coke.  No to that one too.  I could get a Coca Cola Zero for $3.00 American.  Zowie that is a high price but I bought one and yuck, the taste was horrible.  Note to self: You are not in America anymore.

Xin Jiao and I did a little shopping in Guangzhou and then we traveled by bus to her home town of Shaoguan. We stopped along the way at a truck stop and an amazing thing happened.  Xin Jiao and I were standing between the bus and traffic when a semi passed.  The driver and his passenger began honking their horn at us and I of course looked up.  They were looking at Xin Jiao and I and the passenger was giving me the thumbs up.  Yup she's with me, don't you love it. I had noticed over the last few days that she did turn quite a few heads.  She told me it was because of me but I'm no fool.  They were looking at her.

We pulled into Shaoguan and got our rooms at a nice hotel there.  We had a suite with two bedrooms and a living room in the middle.  Xin Jiao busied herself preparing for her family to arrive, but that wouldn't happen until the next morning.  After a good night sleep and breakfast Xin Jiao's family began filtering in.  She has 3 sisters, two brothers, two children of her own and a granddaughter.  What happened to the 1 child rule we in America hear so much about?


Not everyone came but her mother, one brother, his wife and one of their daughters.

Later we went to lunch where I met Xin Jiao's children and granddaughter.  


Her Daughter Yan, and husband.  I still don't know his name.  Jun her son and the little lady that has all of us twisted around her finger Sisia.  I'm not sure how it is spelled.


I'd show all of the food but everyone does that when they travel and put pictures on the internet.  I can say that they like to eat.  We had a great day and Momma and brother approved of me.