Guangzhou pre "GOTCHA!"

Well, it's Monday morning for us.  4 a.m. to be precise (noon yesterday to you back home).  I am still waking really early.  My clock just wont re-set.  I don't mind though, I kinda like being up when it's quiet and dark.  We flew into Guangzhou early yesterday evening.  Guangzhou is a lot more like Eugene, Oregon weather wise.  In Beijing it was COLD, usually below freezing and the stores and such don't seem to warm things up a whole lot.  GZ is warmer, wetter, and greener.  It's also much cleaner than Beijing.  We loved it in Beijing but it was dirty....I mean really dirty.  GZ so far is MUCH cleaner and has a totally different feel to it.  We found it very interesting that though most Chinese speak Mandarin, there are many dialects and they CAN NOT understand each other AT ALL.   If someone flys from Beijing to GZ they need a translator....strange.  

Our hotel, the White Swan, is on the Shamian Island in GZ.  Our room is mostly street side but we can see a bit of the river as well.  The architecture is different here, slightly more western than Beijing, and they love giant video screens on buildings and lights.  One building across from us is video on one whole side....and it's not a small building.  I tried to get a pic but didn't do it justice.   We have yet to explore the island as we were exhausted from our flight (China Air, old Boeing held together with bailing wire and J.B. Weld).  We probably wont explore much today because it's........

GOTCHA DAY!......in a few hours we meet in the lobby to head to Civil Affairs and go get Lisi.  Shell has reported she has butterflies in her stomach for the first time.  We really have no idea what to expect.  She will love me though.....eventually....I mean, how can she resist!?  O.K. so here are some pics....Sorry if I double post some I don't know what I left off with.