12/20/2001 - 1st Day in Shenyang                                

We left Beijing in the afternoon and headed to Shenyang. The flight was very enjoyable and the landing was smooth despite the fog we had in Shenyang. Kids were happy to see snow on the ground (which is covered with dust after two weeks on the ground). My brother, brother in law and one of my cousins picked us up at the airport. We rode home in a conversion van, yes Tom, it is a Dodge! We passed a commercial housing development area called "Holland Village" - yes, it has windmills!! My brother told me that a Chinese businessman visited Netherlands and came back with the ideas of building "Holland Villages". He sold so many these Dutch design houses that he is the 4th richest man in China and he is still building!! What a strange and small world.

My parents did not live in Holland Village. Instead, they live on the 8th floor of an apartment building. There is no elevator!! We climbed these stairs twice today. In the next few days, we will be doing a lot stair climbing. I think I could loose some pounds. The 100 square meters apartment is big enough for all of us to stay here instead of hotels.

It was good to be with my family again. Toby and Josh had great time with their only cousin - my sister's daughter. She is a 6 year old single child (China is still under one child policy. Both my sister and brother in law would love to have another child, but they cannot afford it. The fine and other expenses including termination of employment to have second child is just too big to take chances). She is extremely happy to have someone to play with her. Both Toby and Josh are good big brothers too. She kept saying "I love you" to Toby and Josh. Although embarrassed, they understood what she was trying to tell them and they both enjoyed her company very much.

It will be quite interesting days ahead of us as many our relatives want to meet us. We plan to stay in Shenyang until 12/25. Then we will be heading back to Beijing ahead of our adoption group so we have some time to spend in Beijing.