Mother Yellow River

Today we did our sightseeing along the Yellow River. Lanzhou only gets about 13 inches of rain each year. They rely on the river for irrigation. Water wheels were used to draw water from the river. They were the lifeblood of the city for a long time. The statue is called the Mother Yellow River. This is the most famous statue in Lanzhou. A baby lies on the bosom of his mother with a naive smile while the mother (unlike most of the mothers in Chinese arts who are old, weather-beaten, kindly but with a touch of sorrow) looks happy and affectionate. Adam helped me (Jeff) make it a little more special.


We also visited a park on the other side of the river. The sculpture here is of a dragon. The dragon is a symbol of Gansu, being the most powerful of animals.

This afternoon we got to visit the Lanzhou orphanage. It was a very special time getting a glimpse of what Adam and Makayla probably experienced, although the Lanzhou orphanage is probably much bigger than the one Adam came from. We got to play with some kids in the special needs section. The drive also took us through some poorer sections of the city.

Adam continues to do well, although today he began to show us his wild side. He can be a bit of handful, kind of Curious George on steroids. He seems a bit scared around dogs, so meeting our dog Gertie should prove an interesting experience. As for eating, he has quite an appetite. We haven’t found much he doesn’t like.

We did have pizza today, from a Chinese pizza restaurant. It tasted more like a Mexican Cheese pizza might taste. But all in all, pretty good.

God is good. More sightseeing tomorrow, plus we get Adam’s passport!