DANDONG
This first photo is at the boarder of North Korea and China.
Second photo, Great Wall at the North Korean boarder...
We spent one day Dalian, I was feeling a little feverish, but not too terrible.
SHANGHAI
We flew (less than two hours) to Shanghai. It was really hot, and after we got from the light rail (Maglev) to the subway station to the stop by our hotel we were all exhausted. We couldn't catch a cab because we were too close to the hotel, so we drug the suitcases and kids for a NOT so short walk. It was the longest two blocks I've ever seen. Next time I think we should just get a cab from the airport!
That afternoon Trejan wanted to relax in the hotel, so I stayed with him and took a nap (we just ate at McDonalds). Nicole went with Nori and David to the mall. (I should have been clued in that I was getting much more sick but I was in denial.)
The next day we went to the YuYuan Gardens which is the most beautiful garden in Shanghai.
We then shopped for pearls and went to the "knock off market". Under the Science and Technology Museum is an underground shopping area that has copies of every kind of name brand you can think of (hence "knock off"). Stress free shopping it is NOT. If you see a price, you typically can barter and pay 1/3 or less of the price they had posted. If they really want to sell you something they will grab you as you walk away and pull you back and give you a lower price. It was a great day, but I think I had a slight fever for the entire day. The next morning when I woke up I had a bad cough and was having a little trouble breathing. We continued on with the plan of the day, going to the Shanghai aquarium.
After the aquarium that afternoon I woke up from a nap and I couldn't breathe very well. That evening I was getting more and more worried. I called Damon and he talked me into calling ISOS (International S.O.S.) which is the health network Intel has provided for us. They help you (in English) seek medical attention. I was really not that worried, but I was feeling glad I called. We were waiting for the doctor to call me back and I sent Nori and David off to spend their last night in Shanghai doing something fun.
The kids and I were waiting in a taxi line and I got a call from the doctor. I got us out of the taxi line and tried to hear what he was saying...he said that I needed to be seen ASAP. Then ISOS gave me the name of the hospital (Shanghai International Medical Center) where I needed to go. I was not too happy about this. I figured that it would be best to go back to the hotel first, grab a few things (snacks, water and the kids' DS lites). Also, then the hotel could translate to a taxi how to get to the hospital. The kids could tell I was worried and so they were a little scared as well.
We stood in line for a taxi (again) and got to the hotel.....then from the hotel took another taxi to the hospital. The driver dropped us off in this strange area and pointed as if to say "there!" I wasn't sure where to go, but after walking half way around the building we finally got in to the ISOS area. I had a big sigh of relief, it was clean, they spoke English and they were waiting for me. Then the questions came... have you traveled recently? how long have you been back in China? where were you in the US? They took my temperature and then said the dreaded words, "you have a fever". I knew this wasn't good. What came next brought me to tears....."We can't see you here until you are checked by the Chinese hospital". I could only think back to the Chinese Medical exam that I took almost a year ago. I started to pull myself together when Trejan started crying. I was saying to myself...."You can do this.....if Courtney (a friend I have here in China) had her baby in Shanghai......you can do this...." All three of us put on the masks they gave us and trotted off.
It ended up totally fine, the ISOS nurse took us to the Chinese Hospital and translated for me. They charged me money to check my temperature again, take a sample of saliva. Soon after they discharged me with "No H1N1". We all went back to the ISOS area and I was seen by the doctor. After a long wait for the doctor, and for the nurse to do a blood draw, I was told that I had bronchitis. They gave me four different drugs and sent me on my way.
I was a little concerned about getting a taxi back to the hotel because it was hard for us to find the door into the hospital I figured it may be hard to get out of this place too. I was right. We were given directions, but in China that doesn't always help you all that much. There were some Chinese people who were trying to figure out how to get out too! Finally after wandering around I saw someone and asked her. She was an ER nurse and pointed and it was the way she was going, so we followed her. I saw the exit sign, and I guess she figured we would too, she never looked back to help us again. Nicole almost followed her into a room, but luckily she (Nicole) saw that I wasn't following that nurse anymore. I was trying to just get out of there! We were walking through the ER and saw a guy with a bloody gash in his leg, people hooked up to IV's, a couple coming in with the woman leaning on the man, I didn't look too hard to see much of anything else.
We needed help getting a cab, but a nice man who I think was a security officer helped us out. We got back to the hotel and I was very comforted to see Nori and David waiting there for us. I think it was after 10pm and the kids fell asleep very quickly. I stayed up until midnight packing, we were off to Xi'an the next day.
XIAN
Traveling to Xi'an was actually quite nice. Damon met us there, and we had an english speaking guide and driver waiting for us. The Terra Cotta Soldiers were amazing and we loved that day.
One of my favorite times was spent biking on top of the city wall of Xi'an. A long time ago the city had a huge wall build for protection, and to keep the dragon spirits from leaving. We had two tandem bikes (one with Nicole and me, one with Trejan and Damon) and Nori and David had regular bikes. We biked for about an hour in the hot and humidity and went 13 kilometers/9 miles. I really enjoyed it and the kids loved it.
BEIJING
Beijing was next on the agenda and we had to say goodbye to Damon (again). We did have a great time in Beijing though.
The great wall at Mutianyu was fantastic (for the second time) and we ate good western food (The Outback). The kids didn't really want to see temples, so Nori and David did the temple of heaven and the forbidden city without us. The evening was relaxing and we were ready to be heading back to Dalian. It was hard to say goodbye to my sister, but we had a fantastic trip together and made memories that will last forever.We miss Oregon, but it is such a blessing that China is feeling more and more like home.
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