Last couple of days in Guangzhou...

The last couple of days have been a blur. We swore an oath to take care of Cate at the US consulate, so I guess we have to. Now that I know that there is only one American staff member and the rest Chinese nationals...I'm pretty certain that they read the "strongly worded" email I sent to them. I sighed a big relief when there wasn't an interview at that one. In retrospect, I was a little let down by the oath taking "ceremony"...I envisioned a little more formality and maybe...I dunno something. Would having Aretha Franklin sing the National Anthem be too much? I think not.
Now all things official are behind us, we are turning our minds to bigger and more important things:
Caleb: How can he avoid doing his school work AND which of his shows were recorded on the DVR.
Virginia: How is Cate going to do on the flights home...Seeing Family...Chuck wagon...AND which of her shows were recorded on the DVR.
ME: How is Cate going to do on the flights home....Seeing family...Can I get to the Doc B in time... REAL MEXICAN FOOD.

From here on out I want to bullet things that I remember randomly and not chronological before I forget..

•  Caleb dropping the hotel phone into the toilet...
• Virginia being so tired she thought we had a conversation-we didn't...
• Seeing Cate in our dreams before we got her...
• The buffet serves something called the, "Century Eggs"...actually looks like month old hard boiled eggs..
• Caleb telling a hustling street vendor, "Boo-Yao" when she approached him to buy something. This was just moments after our guide taught us to say that to ward off pushy sellers on our tour van. The lady street vendor was so surprised that a kid let her have it...She laughed and told all the other vendors.
• They don't call it the Great Wall for nothing...My quads burned for two days.
• Beijing has it's history and seat of power like no other I have seen.
• Caleb is now a well taught student of how to make fine silk, he has a cocoon to prove it.
• Virginia was in heaven at the pearl and jade, but was more at home at the local shops in Guangzhou.
• Cate belongs in this family because she only eats specific things like her brother and mother.
• Where ever you live, if you're rich, it's a great place. There is a Lamborghini dealership across the street from out hotel and a women selling roasted chestnuts for less than $0.10 next to it.
• Beware of the older ladies who ask you if you'd like a "massage" on the street.
• Caleb really wanted to climb the Great Wall with me, but the steepness and uneven steps were a no go. By the way, if CALOSHA ever checks this place, were talking heavy fines.
• I prefer old cab drivers, they know how to use their car in an offensive way and get you there 5xs faster.
• There are more new cars on the road here than in any city in the US.
• 7/11s in China have no doors...seriously, it never closes...however smells like something is being embalmed there.
• Never, I mean NEVER order spaghetti bolognese from an Middle Eastern place called 1,001 Nights...
• The English signs in China were comedy, but it sure does reassure me that even here, they want us to be safe.
• Caleb has a cast iron stomach and great immune system so he didn't get sick once.
• "No PRR-Ah-BLum" is the key phrase for anyone who is willing to help. For instance, " No PRR-Ah-BLum, I make a special price for you..." 
• Caleb's nostrils are huge while Cate's are tiny.
• You can short out a brand new DVD player by plugging it in the wrong receptacle AND put the lights out in your hotel room.
• Guangzhou is the city of flowers. According to our guide the government shelled out 3 billion (don't know if that's USD) on flowers for the city.
• Caleb would like to try to take a half an hour shower if we'd let him. 

Good night for me and Good morning to you all...

Take care and God bless,

Chris, Virginia, Caleb & Cate