Roger can evoke a smile much, much quicker than I can.

I feed, bathe, clothe, and change diapers majority of the time, but she has taken to Roger more than me. She will follow him with her eyes and when she hears his voice, she will look around to see where he is. I told him this would probably happen even before we came to China... she is sooo much like him. She is also scooting all over - just started this today and also started holding her own bottle. She will stand up with some assistance, but will plop right back down on her bottom when you let go. Her personality is really starting to shine through and it has been fun and exciting to see what she is going to do next!!

As far as what we did today... We went to the "new city" of Nanchang. We are presently in the "old city." The "old city" is very crowded, traffic is just crazy, old buildings side by side and almost on top of one another; population is about 3 million.

For the "new city" - you cross over a bridge that crosses over the Gan River and you come into a completely different area.

The buildings are all very new. Area is not crowded at all, it is very clean. But, with all this, James, (our CCAI guide), said people still prefer the old city to the new city. We visited a park in the new city today and then we went to a place called The Tower.

The Tower is an old palace that was originally built hundreds of years ago by the Gan Dynasty. It has been destroyed a few times by fire, but has been rebuilt each time.

The grounds and ponds on the area are beautiful and then you can go up to the tower and you can see the old city on one side and the new city on the other.

After this excursion, we went to a place called the Free Market. It is like a giant jockey lot with five levels. You can get anything from a tatoo to a hand-tailored suit. It's called Free Market because these vendors set their own prices, it is their business. Whereas in most other businesses the goverment owns it and prices are already set. So... this Free Market was literally a madhouse - people everywhere. And, of course, a group of Americans with little Chinese babies just made it all the more interesting. You have to be very tolerant while over here, which we are (we love it and find it very interesting), but there are a few people in our group who do not find it quite as interesting as we do.

So... now we are exhausted from our day, but LOVING every minute of it and soaking up the culture like sponges.

Enjoy the pics!!

Love,
Ellisons