The Tower Story

So I promised yesterday to explain about the tower in the 6 Banyan Tree Temple...here it is.
Let's remember that I am sick....upper respiratory whatever-it-is, which is enough to make me take nyquil and dayquil, but not enough to keep me in bed when I'm in a foreign country and have the oppurtunity to get OUT and see what's going on. So there is this tall wonderful tower inside the temple, which you have to buy an additional ticket to go up in. 10 Yuan, no big deal. (about $1.20) So I start climbing, and after the first 3 stories, I think, hmm...how far up does this go? Is it really worth getting to the top? Another 3 stories (me coughing up a lung) and I keep seeing "上上" (up) with an arrow...Aiyah? More? so I keep going...each floor there is the 上上 again....so I keep going. Finally I get to the top & there is another doorway, but you can go into the wall, but then you can't get inside, there is a locked screened door. so I peek my head inside to see what's in there, and I hear singing. Actually it's chanting, but it really was a form of singing. I've heard budhist chanting before and it never sounded like this. I think there were maybe 6 little doorways around this circular tower on the top floor, and in each one, there was a person sitting and singing. They were all singing the same thing, and all in unison.

The sound went inside this little room and just filled it with sound in a way I've never heard before. I sat there for awhile just listening to them sing. Finally as other people came up I got out so others could see. I walked around and saw one of the women from the back, and could hear her singing from the backside, and it sonded so hollow, so empty. But when I was inside one of those little spaces, the sound inside was so full, so filled with energy and feeling. I think it must have been the culmination of their voices, the space, the day, and the quiet from 9 stories above Guangzhou. We were even high enough to escape the incense smell. It was truly a moving moment. As I went back down the stairs again, I saw a big group of tourists all coming up together. I felt a little dissappointment that in their big group, they probably would not get the experience that I had just had up at the top, being a "solo" traveler. They would see the view, they'd look in the little door, and they'd come back down, without getting that overwhelming feeling of awe of the community that came together at the top of the tower.

A few more Pics from the Temples

This is also a mix of pics from the two temples I went to on Sunday. This first one is the window looking out from the 5 celestials temple (Wu Xian Guan). I just love looking at the details of the architechture in China. I've never been a fan of Chinese furniture design (although I have seem some great cabinets!!!)- but I do think Chinese architecture is really beautiful. There are some amazing details to see if you spend the time to look.


This is the building in the 5 Celestials Temple which holds a bell known as a "Calamity Bell." This bell weighs about 5 tons, and was cast during the Ming Dynasty. it's 2 meters in diameter and about 10 cm thick. They call it a Calamity Bell because, as it has no clapper, the sound of it ringing is a portent of calamity for the city. (Thanks Lonely Planet for those lovely facts...) To be honest the bell isn't that pretty- but I love the story...and the building is pretty great too!
Back at the 6 Banyan tree temple, This guy was stationed near the big buddah in yesterday's photos & the monks shoes leaning against the doorway. I think the building behind him was a dorm for the monks. I don't know who he was, and the guy who followed me around the temple who seemed to work there (he was excited when I spoke chinese and wanted to give me a personalized tour) didn't even know who he was, he had to read the back to find out his name. (Which I unfortuantely promptly forgot!)
I don't know why I always love to see the incense at Buddhist temples- maybe it's the colors and the teeny tiny chinese characters....maybe it's the thought of so many people's wishes & prayers stuck together in one small space. Visual evidence of the crowds. For some reason this strikes me so much more than seeing those lit candles in cathedrals in Europe. Probably because it has an air of mystery or hmm...what's the word? Exotic-ness?

And what temple isn't complete without it's very own Buddhist kitty? This one clearly lived there, and even joined them in the temple later when they were doing some sort of ceremony.

A Few Guanghzou Highlights

It's past my bedtime & I've just popped a couple of nyqil, so this will be a quick one! I went to two temples today- the temple of the 5 immortals, and the 6 Banyan tree temple. Both were amazing and uniquely wonderful in their own ways. The 5 immortals because of it's quiet location, the wonderful tower (story tomorrow-stay tuned), and the beautiful sculpture of the 5 immortals and their goats. The 6 Banyan tree temple was wonderful because it was a hub of activity and the center of a world- tourists and local chinese coming together and experiencing the beauty of the temple. And at the top of the pagoda, sheer and utter peace. I'll have to explain that tomorrow too. Until then, enjoy the pics.

These are the 5 celestials (immortals) and their goats.
A quiet space, leading to an even quieter space. It reminded me of the chinese garden in Portland- only for the reason that once you get inside the walls, the sounds of the world kind of "die away" and you really don't hear anything. That's what I felt when I walked in this place. Outside in Guangzhou the city is loud and alive and moving and exciting- inside it is calm and tranquil and quiet. You can hear the wind through the leaves.
At the 6 Banyan Tree Temple- there were people everywhere. I had to wait for a moment without people for this pic.
The door to the monks quarters- one of the monks had left his shoes out drying.
You can always tell when you are coming up on a temple because everything in the surrounding shops turns up in shades of gold. This is in the temple of course, but that overwhelming amount of gold is echoed in the shops outside on the street as well.

Guangzhou: Midnight & Wide Awake

This will be short & picture free...Since I've just arrived. It's bound to be an interesting trip for a couple of reasons:
1) I realized this morning when I woke up that the sore throat & cough has moved into my lungs and may or may not be bronchitis
2) Part of this trip is Vacation- I'm going to Longsheng to see the Dragons Backbone Rice Terraces, and possibly back to Yangshuo if I have time to try and find the guide I hired last year and pass her some photos.

#1: this sucks. Maybe it doesn't and it's just a little viral infection...We'll see. I had already purchased nyquil & dayquil, cough drops, and sudafed. After talking with my Dr's assistant this morning, they kindly called in a prescription for some antibiotics for bronchitis, and I also picked up mucinex, chloroseptic spray and chloroseptic tape things (those things you stick on the roof of your mouth & they melt...) since I wouldn't be able to take the spray on the plane with me (liquid). Oh, and not to forget the immodium. So I have what amounts to a half of a pharmacy packed away in my suitcase. I honestly barely ever get sick, so I don't take medicine very often, which means when I need to, I am completely perplexed about what to take. (as you can see from the list above!) Usually dayquil/nyquil are my standby meds in case of a nasty cold- all this other stuff, I just don't have a clue. The mucinex was a suggestion from the Dr, and I'm under strict orders NOT to take the antibiotics unless I actually had a fever. I promised!!! Actually, the Dr's assistant words were "Do you smoke? You already have it again?" Umm....For sure NO on the smoking, and Already? I had it 2 years ago, and the only other time was 3 years before that....is that OFTEN?" She said, "oh, no." But I do need to say THANK YOU to my very kind Dr for trusting me and giving me a prescription without seeing me!!! Hopefully I'll be handing the meds back to her when I see her in Dec... I explained that I am 3 weeks in China, and having been once to a Chinese Hospital, I seriously did NOT want to repeat the experience. Granted it was a much smaller town...all the same...I am relatively certain it look at least a year or two off my life & possibly any possibility of reproduction ever. (not that that's really an issue anyway, but there was an Xray with no lead apron!)

On #2...That will be fantastic! You'll just have to stay tuned & hope I have into access while I'm there. I'm in Guangzhou until the 8th, so a full week plus before I head off into vacation mode. It will be very interesting if I do make it to Yangshuo- I'm not sure if I will or not. I'd like to see the guide I hired there because I spent a few days with her- 2 where I hired her to take me around, and one afternoon just relaxing & talking. The hour and a half talking at a street cafe was one of the many pins that pushed me into finally saying "yes" on the adoption as a single mama decision. I had been condsidering it from January or February of 2005, then in May I met this woman & my conversation with her was just one of those many "a ha" moments that added up to me making the final decision to go forward and adopt on my own. We talked at length about her family, her 3 daughters, the 2 daughters that her husband made her give up, her life in China, her parents being killed during the cultural revolution when she was 6, her marrying a man 25 years older than she was...it was an incredibly enlightening afternoon that I hope I will never forget.

Off to try and attempt sleep. it's nearly 1 am and I am wide awake like it was 1 in the afternoon!!! I'll take some pics to upload tomorrow!

Finally! Remodel Pics!

Well Blogger decided to let me update photos finally! Good thing since Poor Connie was on edge with anticipation...hee hee....! Okay Connie- I'm certain you are on edge with anticipation over your MAJOR home rehaul...but probably not so much with mine...I understand...!!!

But for Everyone else out there in Bloggy land- Here they are! Update photos of the 2nd floor! See previous post for the "before" picture (after baby room, before bathroom):

That ugly red railing is being replaced, I promise! It's really quite horrid!! I've come to think of it as my 'construction railing'- despite the fact that it's been there for the last 5 1/2 years that I've owned this house. On the upside, there is only that one side (of the original 3!) that remains, so it's offense to my day is lessening as time goes by! I am going to have to do a little happy dance the day this railing comes down!!!

The cabinet beside the stairs...
The hallway...! I never had a hallway there before, just...a general "space". it's VERY exciting to have a hallway. It actually is space with function. SO clever.My new Shower!!! Okay not nearly as exciting as Johnney's (with Sharon's river rock floor)- but I would like to point out that for a 2nd bathroom...that is a 48 inch wide shower! *grin*

And that...is where the sink will go. the toilet will go directly to the left of it. But this is a family show, therefore, I cannot show you that part of my bathroom....! No actually you can bet your sweet porceline I'll be showing you the toilet once it's in. But all I have right now are walls sweet walls...so that's all you get. And to be perfectly honest, in it's "pre toilet" state, that corner just isn't terribly interesting.

Well I'm off to China tomorrow, so stay tuned for some good China travel stories and hopefully some good China travel pics.

Remodel Update

Well it's been quite some time since I posted remodel pics. About a week ago we finished getting the sheetrock up on the bathroom walls & the cabinet next to the stairs on the 2nd floor. The thought of another 2 months (I think that's about how long it took us to mud the baby room walls) of dust, drywall mud, drywall dust, the umm....fun...of sanding drywall...was a little too much to bear. It's probably more appropriate to say that I was unsure of whether it was too much to bear or not. I was thinking "I SO do not want to do that" at the same time I was thinking "HOW MUCH would it be to have someone else do that?" So I called my AMAZING drywallers....and they came by Friday to give me a bid. I didn't know exactly what my cutoff was, but I had a range in mind, and if it was too much over that range, then my friend Scott & I would be doing it ourselves. Did I mention these guys are AMAZING? They re-drywalled 2 ceilings for me- my kitchen & Living room, and did the most unbelieveable, perfect, ummm....PERFECT job. Smooth ceilings too- no texture! This is a husband and wife couple and seriously, they are masters at their job. So- they came and said, yeah, no problem. And gave me a GREAT price. So...I said YES. Go for it! So then, they said, "actually our schedule is pretty wacky right now, we could do this Monday & Wednesday next week if you're ready?" Um...YES. Amazing drywallers, GREAT price, and Timely??? If I ever leave Oregon (which I don't intend to do) I would seriously fly these guys into whereever I was living to have them do my drywall. They are that amazing! And sweet, and a family business, and did I mention timely and good price? The advantage of their low prices is that now it makes me want to do more. After seeing my friend Chris's basement that she had finished into a playroom for her girls, I have been having visions of a finished basement. Those visions generally include drywall....and....Jim & Hilda. My drywall heros.
Okay- enough preamble...I know you're waiting to see the pics!!!

First- the oldest one I can find showing where the bathroom is now (before bathroom)

And now the updates:

Hmm....looks like no updates in this one. Blogger is having issues with me posting any pic besides the original. please hold. I'll get back to you with more pics.

The Neighborhood Meeting-Traffic Islands

So last night was the neighborhood meeting on the traffic islands that are to go in on my street. Several long term residents of the street are angry about them and don't want to lose the parking. Several shorter term residents are happy about them and are anxious for their traffic calming possibilities. I took yesterday off work (because hey guess what, looks like I'm *not* traveling to china this year after all...gotta use up those vacation days...) and when I went in this morning, I had (for a few minutes) convinced my colleagues that the split lip was a direct result of BOB (more about him soon) and the Traffic Island meeting.

So BOB. BOB is my new nemesis. BOB is this guy who owns a house on my street. Did you notice I didn't say "lives" on my street? right. Bob is a landlord. But when they came & painted the ovals to show where the traffic islands are going to be, BOB started calling everyone in the neighborhood to get them riled up about it. Next thing I know we have a notice from the city of a meeting. Oh, yes- BOB called me. I wasn't home but returned his call, and talked to MRS. BOB. MRS BOB said "do you know anything about this?" I said YES, because I attended the neighborhood association party & spoke with a Portland planning person while there, who said our street was getting some traffic calming. MRS BOB said we don't want Islands. I said WE DO. MRS BOB said they should just lower the speed limit and put one of those white vans on the street, that will slow cars down. I said "come on, you know how fast cars drive down this street, lowering the speed limit is not going to do it, and the white van isn't around every day. MRS BOB said "actually we don't know, we live in another neighbhorhood, we have a rental." (then WHY are you calling ME????). So I get a letter from the city announcing a meeting about said Islands. Next day BOB's tenant stops me as I'm walking from my driveway (where I PARK MY CAR, maybe SHE should try it out...) and says "we're losing parking!" I say, "This will slow cars down!". there's a standoff. Okay, no standoff. But I did calmly explain to her all of the BENEFITS of a pedestrian island. She didn't seem convinced. Next day, there is a very LOUD yellow flyer in my mail slot. it says " IMPORTANT PUBLIC MEETING- If you have concerns about the loss of 6-8 parking spots per block, the hazards of 19 curbed concrete islands....come to this meeting. Project Budget is $375,000.00" and "PLEASE, PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS AND COME TO THIS VERY IMPORTANT MEETING!" Next day after that I get a light lilac flyer in my mailbox that says "Help Slow down (this street). Tired of cars speeding 40+ mph down our street? Tired of crossing your fingers as you attempt to cross the street to enjoy your neiborhood? Tired of the daily ambulance sirens and lights? Think 35 mph is too fast? Attend our neighborhood meeting to help voice your support for the Portland office of Transportation's plan to curb traffic in your neighborhood. The plan's $375,000 price tag is a small price to pay for our safety and peace "

Feeling already like a political knockdown brawl? Yuppers. I thought so too. I was certain the Yellow page came from BOB. BOB who doesn't actually live on our street. After last night's meeting, I am CERTAIN of it. There were 3 people from the city hosting the meeting. Actually, after talking extensively both after the meeting and today with one of the men from the City (Will, Mark was the other one), there was one woman (Theresa) who took over the meeting, and really, I think Will & Mark should have run the meeting. These Two guys who should have run the meeting I am CERTAIN would have done a better job. This woman took a "straw vote" to see who supported the islands on my chunk of street. Hmm...let's see: The people who were opposed were there in couples: Husband & wife. There was BOB and MRS BOB, Also BOBS TENNANT and MR BOBS TENANT. Wait a minute, how can 4 people to one residence count as 4 votes? Well they did!!! I (oh silly me...) made the suggestion we take a poll by ADDRESS- one vote per address. Lady from the city said, NO, she had gotten enough complaints from phone calls this week & from people at the meeting that night to make it clear they were not wanted on our blocks. HUH? What about the people who couldn't make it? WHY did BOB's house get 4 votes and MY HOUSE get 1 vote???? I've been in the neighborhood 5 years. That's long enough to count for something! Why did My neighbhor whose husband couldn't make it but was there with her TWO SMALL CHILDREN get no votes because she couldn't stay the whole time and BOB's house got 4 votes? Should I just have invited along all my friends to come to the meeting with me? Not very democratic if you ask me!!!

SO- the result of the meeting is that the islands are "essentially" out, but speedbumps may be the replacement. actually this is good, as it may slow traffic more- they are now called "speed tables"- and I talked with my new CITY HERO WILL today (one of the two guys as the meeting last night) extensively about our options. We may yet get both Islands and Speed Tables, but at the very least, I'm going to do everything I can to get us Speed Tables. My new HERO Will even said he would come & talk with our neighborhood if we put together a block meeting this weekend or this week. Fortunately, BOB's house is on the NEXT BLOCK. Ah...it's good to have a hero in the city. It's bad to have a bully on your block. It's unfair to have someone so frazzled running the meeting. I hope in the end they all balance out.

Big fat lips

So tonight started out as a night out for my friend who helps me with my house remodel projects- Monday was his birthday & I was planning to take him to dinner & a movie (little Miss Sunshine...). So we drove down to Moreland to the Moreland theater, and found a parking spot. As we walked down the sidewalk, a couple on bikes came up behind us on the sidewalk. We stopped and stepped to the side so that they could get by, but they said no no, go ahead. So we walked along the side of the sidewalk to give them room...moments later, as I was gazing longingly across the street at a very nice children's clothing store, My friend Scott says "Watch out!". I whip my head around just in time for it to meet the metal sign pole that was directly in front of me. Yup...I split my lip open. We went to Starbucks & got ice to go...

So, instead of dinner & a movie e it turned into a fun filled trip to the emergency room. The dr who came in had just come from 2 years of plastic surgery, and told me it was possibly deep enough for 1 stitch, but he thought it better not to. So....given the two options of 2 shots of novicane & a stitch, or just a stitch & no novicane...I thought it best to take the good dr's advice & skip the stitch. But...I do have a fat lip. Not sure you can see so well, but here are the pics:


Yeah, I know. not too lovely. Not too fun either! We were saying on the way to the hospital that it TOTALLY sounded like an 'abused wife' story- I ran into a post... sure, sure you did! At the hospital don't you know it, they said "is anyone abusing you at home?" I said no, but the cat certainly thinks I'm neglecting him... First it was embarasing enough to run into a post on a busy street, then to have to tell them at the ER again and again, no REALLY, I DID run into a post!!! The good Dr. said it would heal without a scar within 6 months...and sooner or later the swelling will go down. Fortunately I took the day off work tomorrow, so I can hang out at home & relax...although I'll probably keep busy... I still have a whole lot of apples to make into applesauce & Applebutter...

The Shaolin Monks at the Chinatown Streetfair

These are the photos I promised last week- The Shaolin Monks. They are buddhist monks from Henan Province. They practice a special form of martial arts which is a bit more like dance than what I think of as fighting, but it's just amazing to watch. The youngest among them in this group is 13, and he spent the last month in Portland at the International School in the Chinese Immersion program. a friend of a friend's daughter is in the international school and has turned into the biggest Shaolin Monk Groupie! It's adorable because she's 8...and I think if there is *any* group to become a groupie for...the Shaolin monks are it. Besides being fit and incredibly talented, there were quite a few cute ones! Take a look at the pics...these guys are absolutely amazing (I'm onto talent now...)- the pictures really speak for themselves...

More Chinatown street fair pics

Blogger had some issues with me uploading pics yesterday, so I only was able to upload a few. Here are a few more.
This, for all of you out there in Blogland, is one of Portland's most famous: Darcelle. As in, Darcelle the Famous Transvestite of Old Town, as in Darcelle the owner of DARCELLE's- the Drag Queen show place, as in Darcelle- the Announcer of the Gay Pride Parade. Yup- She's pretty famous in Portland. I've never been to Darcelle's- we the single mamas to be were talking about how it would be interesting to go and SEE a show, since the only exposure I have to a drag queen show is from watching The Birdcage or Pricilla Queen of the Desert... And No- Darcelle is not of asian decent, but the parade was representing businesses in Old Town, and she certainly is a well known businessman/woman!
We arrived to see the beginning of the parade, and it was VERY short. It was a great parade, just incredibly short. (this after going to the St Johns parade this summer which lasted over 2 hours!) So, because it was so short, and it was such a wonderful parade, we walked around to the end of the parade & watched it twice. We were surprised to see a few more cars that were not in the parade when it started (!)- they must have come late. So we were laughing that Darcelle, who had probably spent at least a few hours on her makeup & getting dressed & ready for the parade, was there on time, but our Mayor- Tom Potter...was late! Don't get me wrong, I'm a supporter of Tom Potter. This is the guy who when confronted with the "problem" of Critical Mass (a bike group that rides through downtown Portland once a month during rush hour to clog up traffic to help make people more aware of bikes in Portland), this is the Mayor who got on a bike and went riding with them during one of their rides to find out what it was all about. My kinda Mayor. If we had to lose Vera (our Mayor for 12 years, retired as her Cancer had come back)- Tom Potter is a great replacement. Another little fact I loved about him: He refused donations over $25 for the bulk of his campaign. Only in the last month he allowed donations of up to $100. How great is that? He brought in something like 1/3 or 1/4 of what his competitor brought in, but won the election by a landslide.

Okay, enough about our politics in Portland, back to the streetfair/parade pics!These are Dancers from the Portland Drum Corp. These guys are also pretty well known in Portland, and I've seen them perform a few times now. Both times were with Pink Martini
Another great Portland thing- Pink Martini are a local band who are a bit of a mix of classical chamber music, mixed with Cuban Jazz, mixed with French music...They are one of my favorites. Hard to explain, just go check out their website & give it a listen! They have this one song "Brazil" which is best played loud (I've seen them once with the Oregon symphony Orechestra, and once with a smaller Orchestra)- and somehwere in the middle this huge drum corp comes in with these dancers in these huge elaborate costumes. Quite beautiful!!


Stay tuned for more pics- coming next, the Shaolin Monks!!!