This afternoon, our travel group made our pilgrimage to Shamian Island. Historically, it’s a place known for being the gateway into China during the 1800’s as a French and British concession, but to adoptive families, it has a different distinction.
When China opened its doors for international adoption, Shamian Island was where much of the process happened for American families. The US consulate and the medical exam office used to be located there (We went there during Anna’s adoption in 2008.) Many families stayed at the White Swan Hotel – the first 5-star hotel in China. They ate at Lucy’s Diner (we still haven’t eaten there, but we usually avoid American food if we aren’t in America- almost always a disappointment.) They shopped for girls’ dresses and other souvenirs on the island also.
Four years ago the White Swan closed for major renovations; 2 years ago the consulate and medical exam office both moved driving much of the shop owners back to the main part of Guangzhou to find customers.
It’s still a beautiful place set apart from China, though, even if only separated by several short bridges. The banyan trees loom high above with vines trailing into the pedestrian lanes.
Eliza posed for the obligatory picture with the children statue. She insisted on pushing her own (empty) stroller before succumbing to the heat and the comfort of said stroller. After some ice cream, we looked at the Pearl River and the typhoon looming in the distance. We ate a yummy dinner our guide arranged for us, and walked through light rain to our bus.
Earlier in the day we (minus Monica and Eliza) swam in our hotel’s pool. Surrounded by American families with Chinese children, we felt part of a unique tribe. Wonderful people with biological and adopted children of various ages, called to adopt in China for some reason. They were, and we are, part of the legacy of Shamian Island. The legacy of adoption in China.
When China opened its doors for international adoption, Shamian Island was where much of the process happened for American families. The US consulate and the medical exam office used to be located there (We went there during Anna’s adoption in 2008.) Many families stayed at the White Swan Hotel – the first 5-star hotel in China. They ate at Lucy’s Diner (we still haven’t eaten there, but we usually avoid American food if we aren’t in America- almost always a disappointment.) They shopped for girls’ dresses and other souvenirs on the island also.
Four years ago the White Swan closed for major renovations; 2 years ago the consulate and medical exam office both moved driving much of the shop owners back to the main part of Guangzhou to find customers.
It’s still a beautiful place set apart from China, though, even if only separated by several short bridges. The banyan trees loom high above with vines trailing into the pedestrian lanes.
Eliza posed for the obligatory picture with the children statue. She insisted on pushing her own (empty) stroller before succumbing to the heat and the comfort of said stroller. After some ice cream, we looked at the Pearl River and the typhoon looming in the distance. We ate a yummy dinner our guide arranged for us, and walked through light rain to our bus.
Earlier in the day we (minus Monica and Eliza) swam in our hotel’s pool. Surrounded by American families with Chinese children, we felt part of a unique tribe. Wonderful people with biological and adopted children of various ages, called to adopt in China for some reason. They were, and we are, part of the legacy of Shamian Island. The legacy of adoption in China.
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