Hangzhou

We returned from Yiwu to Hangzhou yesterday after our time at the orphanage, where we really were treated very well. The officials we spoke to took up a good part of their morning showing us around. After that, we spent almost two hours eating lunch with them at a local restaurant, where Leah later played the violin for everyone.

Being in the nursery—we couldn’t take pictures there, the one restriction they placed on us—where Leah and the 11 other girls from our adoption group had lived was pretty moving and is still a little difficult to process completely.

Today—our last full day in Hangzhou—was much lighter. It began with a visit to a theme park of sorts about the Song Dynasty from 960-1279 (lasting just slightly longer—or does it only seem that way?—than the current U.S. administration). Cheryl and Leah tested their balancing skills. Of the two, who seems more comfortable?

We also visited the village of Meijiawu, where tea is grown and harvested (and where Leah demonstrated her unique tea-tasting technique), shopped on the Ancient Street of Qinghefang with its 100-year-old stores and ended the day taking in a pretty spectacular performance called West Lake Night that included acrobatics, stunts, dancing and music. And, yes, those are the ends of swords, so please do not try this one at home.