Not long after we got to the zoo, we saw the full effect of the solar eclipse. It was overcast today, so we never actually saw the sun. About 9:30, though, it got dark very quickly. In the span of just a few minutes it went from an overcast today to almost completely dark. I got some video during this time, but I don’t know if we’ll see anything because it was dark. It was like that for only about five minutes, and then it began to lighten up as quickly as it started. It was a once in a lifetime sight!
We were able to see a panda at the zoo. He was eating leaves and bamboo inside his house. There was a glass window so we could see him well though it. L.P. especially enjoyed the red pandas. Before we left we saw the sea lion show. They did all the tricks we see at the amusement parks back home. We left about 12:00. The weather cooperated nicely for us. It was cooler than previous days and overcast the entire time. It was still very humid, though. We all sweat the entire time. The zoo was a great place to visit. I was surprised at how not crowded it was. Everyplace here in Chi*a is swarming with people. It can be a bit overwhelming for all of us. The zoo was nice and empty, though. It was a great way to spend the morning.
Each day we get to see more of Miss Lollipop's personality. She giggles and laughs anytime one of her toys falls over. She likes things very neat and orderly. She puts all her crayons back in the box, right side up. If a goldfish or cheerio falls out of the cup, she giggles and puts it back (or eats it.)
We went to the local KFC for dinner tonight as we are a bit tired of noodles. L.P. had a nugget and French fries. She eats anything we give her, but it does need to be cut or ripped up into tiny pieces. She doesn’t know how to bite a piece off as you would do with a chicken nugget or a fry. She loved watching all the kids at KFC. They liked staring at us too.
As I type now, it is past 9:00 and L.P. is still up. Our naptime was a couple hours late today because of the zoo, and thus bedtime is a bit late too. She is playing with a couple of stuffed animals in her crib, and I keep hearing giggles. She is used to playing in her crib before she sleeps as that is what they did in the orphanage. There is nothing scheduled for tomorrow, though, so we can all sleep in.
Here's a misceleaneous tidbit of information: Lollipop is from the same orphanage as the baby Meg Ryan adopted from China a few years ago. How about that!
Grandma, Lollipop, and our guide in Hefei
Lollipop points out, with her princess wand, the different animals
Total Eclipse and the Zoo
It was still a bit dark, like twilight, a few minutes after the totality of the eclipse 