China 8: Hong Kong = Home

In addition to being cool, Hong Kong felt like coming home.

I was not prepared for what I would feel when I walked through the doors of this building:This is the building that houses an LDS Church building (chapel and all) and the LDS Area Offices, as well as the apartment we stayed at with the Hallstrom's (see that cool circular window at the top? Yep, I stayed there). And as I opened the door, it took my breath away.
I knew I was "home".
And I cried.

I was overcome with the spirit.
And realized that while I had spent a week in an amazing country full of people who God loves, there was something missing for me.
And I didn't fully realize how much I had missed it...or even what I had missed...
until I had it again.

I think life is like that.
But, this isn't about life...yet.
This is about Hong Kong.

And I will never forget what I felt when I walked into that building.
when I walked through that city.
when I thought about my life.

Oh, Hong Kong...
HOW I LOVE YOU!
(more to come...)

The Interview...

I know some people in my life missed this and wanted to hear it.
(Some missed it because I never actually said anything about it...oops...sorry, Aunt Linda.)

My interview with Carole Mikita that aired on KSL radio this past Sunday.
You can listen to it here if'n you're interested.
(Click on the "People of Faith" July 26th link).

I don't think I said anything too terribly embarrassing.
Not this time anyway.

(But, please ignore my first laugh...first laughs are always awkward.)

A mother heart...

"The eternal bonds of motherhood and children are sacred and very real."
-NieNie

You must read her latest post.
Now.

China 7: Wow (aka Guilin & the Li River)

You think you're in a movie when you embark on a cruise down the Li River from Guilin. Who knew that landscape like this really existed? And if God could make mountains like this, why didn't he put them in other places too?

Wow.


But, it wasn't just the cruise and the landscape that were memorable. It was also the snake wine.
I might have bet our traveling companions (there's something about us that international men just really dig) to drink it...but in fairness to me, he was already drinking (yes, David, I just made the connection to why he was digging me...thanks.)
You just gotta love that "I think I'm going to throw up" look.
And yes, we're talking REAL snakes....

But, really, our favorite part of the our day was the "raft cruise" down the Dragon River. Look at the pictures and then watch the videos and you'll learn all you need to know about our experience.



Yes, we loved it as much as you think we did.
Yes, we were the only people who laughed going down the "huge" waterfalls.
And yes...watching these videos still makes me giggle.
(Erin, can we please go again? PLEASE?)

I loved this magical place.
I really loved it.

China 6: I want to be a kneeling archer

Imagine that of the five types of the 8,000 terracotta warriors, only one type was found completely intact...meaning, that this one type (of which I believe there have been twenty-six found), once found, they had no need to go to the "hospital" to be repaired in any way.

Well, that's really the case.

Want to guess which type of warrior has been found completely intact?
EVERY TIME?

The kneeling archer, in his position, was always ready for battle...ready to do his particular job.
He was ready.
for battle.
while kneeling.

And, as it turns out, when the years of weight of the world brought down the inner tomb of the emporer bringing destruction to treasures and damaging terracotta warriors?

Well, as it turns out,
the KNEELING archer
was the only one
still standing.

"And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens." Enos 1:4

China 5: The other part of Xi'an

Who would have thought that you'd have "photo ops" like this one even in Xi'an?

While Erin & I loved Xi'an for so many other reasons, the main reason everyone goes to Xi'an is to see the terracotta warriors. These warriors are thought to be 2000 years old...TWO THOUSAND YEARS OLD! It is believed that the first emporer of China, Qin Shi Huang, had them made to protect him in the afterlife. They were buried with him

And in 1974, a farmer discovered them on his land. Prior to that, they were merely a legend. But, now they are real. And it really is remarkable to see something so old...with some original paint still on them. (Did I mention these guys are 2,000 years old? Did I?
Many of the warriors are found in pieces and are temporarily in the "hospital" awaiting repair. Maybe WE should have been in the hospital awaiting repair (we are SUCH tourists!!)

We also visited the Pagoda Temple, built after the first monk to bring Buddhism to China returned from India. It's a very cool story and I should tell it to you. And I would...if I weren't so tired.
This jade mural tells the story, though. Anyone want to try and guess what the story is?
I asked our guide why the younger generation has lost interest in religion (it's a VERY secular culture). She said something so interesting. "China has had a difficult history. I think when things are hard, you need religion. Right now, things are good for us. We do not need it." Which is such a shame because it is also a culture steeped in great tradition.
I loved this prayer wall. You wrote your prayer on a card and it was placed near burning incense. At one time, these great people believed SOMEONE heard that prayer.
And SOMEONE still does... That's one of the lessons I was reminded of in China.
I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father.
WHO LOVES ME.
(more to come...)

We finished our last night in Xi'an with a traditional local show. I'm posting this video for my nephews who I think would find it hysterical (the man in the front is making that "bird noise" with his own voice AND THEN with the horn).

China 4: Frogger & Dancing in Xi'an

When people ask me what my favorite part of the trip was (and yes, I realize at my current blogging rate, the world could end before I finish blogging about China...but I digress...), it's hard for me to decide.

BUT... when they ask me my favorite city?
That's easy.
Xi'an (pronounced She ahn)

There are a few reasons for this.

In Xi'an I had my first Big Mac(yes. ever. I prided myself on never having had one and then figured if you're gonna have one for the first time, be able to say you had it in China! And after some of the food in Beijing. YUM.)

In Xi'an I discovered China MTV. I loved China MTV...which is funny because I think American MTV is dumb. But, China MTV is like two decades behind us. Ballads are the rage (complete with close up of a single tear going down the cheek in the final scene.)Man, I love China MTV. (more later).

And Xi'an used to be the capital of China back in the day. And they built a wall around the city. It is still there. And the juxtaposition (I like to use that word whenever I can and really, how many times can you actually appropriately use that word?) of the modern city with the ancient wall? LOVED IT.

In Xi'an, I discovered Frogger.
You see, Erin & I noticed in Beijing that there are NO...and I mean not a one...rules for pedestrians.
None.
Seriously.
And while it terrified us in Beijing, in Xi'an?
Yeah...see that bus? I was behind it. I got all the way across all by myself. It was so much fun, I wanted to do it again. (And SO wish...SO WISH...I had had my camera for Erin's passage. Let's just say she didn't enjoy it quite as much as I did. But, you have to be there to fully appreciate it. This might get you close:


I told Erin I wanted to bring my mom to Xi'an just to have her experience a taxi ride (it's a miracle we lived to tell about it) and this:

But, even when you consider the Big Mac and China MTV and the city wall and real Frogger, my favorite part?"Senior citizens" are not allowed to work in China. Their positions are needed to keep the younger generation employed. And so, at retirement age, they are not allowed to work...at all. They are sent a government check every montha and free to... Well, you have millions (literally) of older people just...well...retired.
At every park on every street older people congregate and play cards, checkers or some other board game.
OR you find them dancing.
Just randomly dancing in the parks...on the streets.
And, that night, I stood there with glee just taking in their free spirits. I wanted to join in.
A cute older man noticed me and invited me to come dance.
I said "no".
He insisted.
So, I danced.And danced. And danced.
Not a care in the world.
I was one with the seniors in Xi'an.
We were the same.
Not a care in the world.

Did I mention I loved Xi'an?