Forever Family: Night on the town

Last night we decided to venture out on our own to an Irish Pub which we had heard good things about. It was a short walk from our hotel and we all could use a little exercise and fresh air. As we arrive we are greeted by an Asian girl with an Irish accent and a great personality. This was quite refreshing and we were able to communicate with her which was another plus! Unfortunately we never saw her again. We scan the menu for something "safe" to eat. Kim and I settle on grilled cheese without the tomato that was offered with it. The kids get cheese pizza which is pretty much the standby for them. Stephen took a chance on a cheese burger! Our food arrives and our grilled cheese was actually a pile of lettuce ( which we are not suppose to eat) and we had to look for the cheese. So needless to say we didn't touch it:( I also got chicken noodle soup which was a nice change of pace. I ate the broth and noodles but left the chicken behind even though it didn't look to bad. Kim ends up eating cheese pizza and Stephen is still ok after his cheese burger, of course he washed it down with a Heineken ( maybe the alcohol kills the bacteria). We kept asking our waiter for our tab but apparently they want you to spend the whole evening there.
As we are strolling back to the hotel this bicycle with a wide load comes right down the middle of a narrow sidewalk and a bus is coming up the road should we decide to step out of the way so a game of chicken is on with the bicycle...I put one foot in the road and one foot on the sidewalk and Sarah Grace and I escaped unscathed. I promise I am not making this stuff up! Pedestrians have NO right of way, It is every man for himself. When you cross the street it is a little unnerving. We finally run into some familiar faces from our group and they know where there is a Haagen Danz Ice cream parlor so we follow them. What we keep expecting is something like home but we are on the other side of the world. They have all of these employees with very elaborate uniforms on, they greet you and seat you and give you warm water with a slice of lemon and then just stand around. After visiting the ladies room (aka squatty potty) I think they could send at least one employee in to check cleanliness of the bathrooms. The ice cream was good though even if you didn't get exactly what you ordered. Always feels good to get back to the hotel.
Today was our shopping adventure and an adventure it was. We went to the local mall which went on forever. I bought a few local treasures like pearl jewelry, beautiful embroidered items and cheap DVD's. Then lunch time rolls around and we go to Pizza Hut in the food court. We sit down and the menu selection is huge! It includes delectables like rice balls and octopus, I am not kidding. They laid the order pad on our table and never came back so we ate our protein bars and our bananas we get for breakfast and thanked them for the use of the table. This mall was full of bargains but also a " germafobes" worse nightmare. Can you imagine walking through the Galleria and someone hocking a loogie on the floor...not uncommon here. The stores are the size of walk-in closets. It is like buying out of the back of a truck. What must they think when they come to our country? We have to just laugh, they look at us like we are from outer space. Arrive back at hotel... SHOWER. Stephen looking for a hazmat suit before our next outing;)
Finishing the day with a taste of home...peanut butter and jelly, thanks Kim! McDonalds for Stephen...closest thing he can get to a steak. We still would not trade the experience or WHY we are here in the first place. Hannah is a gift from God and we cannot wait to bring her home. She has been absolutely precious. She plays in the hotel room with all her little toys and eats whatever Kim feeds her. She is more reserved when we go out and stays in the carrier close to her Mommy and just grins. Jacob is happy as long as he has a cartoon to watch or his daddy's phone to play games on. Sarah Grace found a shoe store today and has some new shoes to add to her collection. They have whined a lot less than the adults:)