有缘千里来相会 (yǒuyuán qiānlǐ lái xiāng huì) – Fate has us meet from a thousand miles away. ~Chinese proverb
Beihai:
The city of Beihai (Pak-hoi) is located in southern Zhuang Autonomous Region of Guangxi, China. It is positioned on the western shore of a small peninsula on the eastern side of Qinzhou Bay on the Gulf of Tonkin, immediately south of the delta of the Nanliu River, about 12.5 miles (20 km) south of Hepu. Beihai is an important seaport for the province and for the southwestern interior of China.
Guangzhou:
The city of Guangzhou, conventional Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital of Guangdong sheng (province), southern China. Its city centre lies near the head of the Pearl River (Zhu Jiang) Delta, more than 90 miles (145 km) inland from the South China Sea. Because of its position at the meeting point of inland rivers and the sea, it has long been one of China’s main commercial and trading centres.
Nanning:
Nanning, formerly (1913–45) Yongning, city and capital of the Zhuang Autonomous Region of Guangxi, China. The city is located in the south-central part of Guangxi on the north bank of the Yong River (the chief southern tributary of the Xi River system) and lies some 19 miles (30 km) below the confluence of the You and the Zuo rivers. After the Chinese government officially recognized the Tai-speaking Zhuang ethnic minority in 1958, Nanning became the chief centre for the training of Zhuang leaders. Guangxi University, a large medical school, and a school of agriculture, all in the city, date from the 1920s.
Guilin:
Guilin, also spelled Kweilin, formerly Lingui, city, northeastern Zhuang Autonomous Region of Guangxi, southern China. The natural route centre of the Gui River basin, Guilin lies along the easiest of all the routes leading from central China to Guangdong province—that between the headwaters of the Xiang River in Hunan province and the upper waters of the Gui River (there called the Li River).
Beijing & Shanghai
Our Photos:
Beijing “Solemn Sacred Way” 2003The White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou, 2003In Nanning, the capital and largest city by population of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Southern China 2003 with SageetThe White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou, 2003The White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou, 2003In Nanning, the capital and largest city by population of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Southern China 2003 with SageetIn Nanning, the capital and largest city by population of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in Southern China 2003 with SageetBeijing, the beginning of our adoption journey: No kids yet! 2003In Guangzhou, finding a friend in the playground, 2008Getting Jia in 2008, the orphanage A temple in Guangzhou, 2008In Guangzhou, 2008The twins In Guangzhou, 2008In Guangzhou, 2008In Guangzhou, Pearl River, 2008The White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008The White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008The White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008The White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008Running into a group of children, by the White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008Getting J and E at the orphanage… 2008Getting J and E at the orphanage… 2008Getting J and E at the orphanage… 2008Getting J and E at the orphanage… 2008Guangzhou 2008The Guangzhou Zoo, 2008The Guangzhou Zoo, 2008The Guangzhou Zoo, 2008The Guangzhou Zoo, 2008The Guangzhou Zoo, 2008The Guangzhou Zoo, 2008The Guangzhou Zoo, 2008The Guangzhou Zoo, 2008Jia smiling….2008Visiting a temple in Guangzhou, 2008Visiting a temple in Guangzhou, 2008In Guangzhou, 2008In Guangzhou, 2008In Guangzhou, 2008In Guangzhou, 2008Meeting a Chinese family in a park In Guangzhou, 2008 Meeting a Chinese family in a park In Guangzhou, 2008 Meeting a Chinese family in a park In Guangzhou, 2008 In Guangzhou, 2008In Guangzhou, 2008In Guangzhou, 2008Swimming @the White Swan In Guangzhou, 2008@the White Swan In Guangzhou, 2008@the White Swan In Guangzhou, 2008At the clinic in Guangzhou, 2008At the clinic in Guangzhou, 2008At the clinic in Guangzhou, 2008G’morning Sunshine, in Guangzhou, 2008G’morning Sunshine, in Guangzhou, 2008G’morning Sunshine, in Guangzhou, 2008Pearl River from the White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008Pearl River from the White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008Pearl River from the White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008In Guangzhou, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Registering Jia to become an American citizen in Guangdong Province, 2008Playing a Chinese instrument, 2008One of the cutest hair Sageet is displaying in Guangzhou, 2008One of the cutest hair Sageet is displaying in Guangzhou, 2008One of the cutest hair Sageet is displaying in Guangzhou, 2008One of the cutest hair Sageet is displaying in Guangzhou, 2008White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008White Swan in Guangzhou, 2008@the airport in Guangzhou, 2008@the Guangzhou Zoo, 2008Visiting a temple in Guangzhou 2003 (Sageet)@The White Swan in Guangzhou 2003 (Sageet)@The White Swan in Guangzhou 2003 (Sageet)The Great Wall, 2003 before meeting the girls@The White Swan in Guangzhou 2003 (Sageet)@The White Swan in Guangzhou 2008 @The White Swan in Guangzhou 2008 (Jia & Sageet)@The White Swan in Guangzhou 2008 @The White Swan in Guangzhou 2008 In Guangzhou 2008 with a Chinese couple we metBeijing, 2003 Dinner, 2003Awe 💙 @Sageet’s orphanage in 2012Guangzhou 2012Guangzhou 2012Guangzhou 2012Guangzhou 2008The Forbidden City, Beijing, 2012Eating in Beihai, 2012In Nanning with Geet, 2003Sign on the Great Wall. One way to stay fit….2003The Guangzhou Zoo, 2008@Jia’s orphanage on a very-very hot/humid day, 2008Sagget’s famous smile in Nanning, 2003The Great Wall 2003In Nanning taking a stroll (Sageet) 2003A clinic in Guangzhou 2008Ha….The Pearl River from the White Swan hotel, Guangzhou 2003@the White Swan hotel, Guangzhou 2012@McD’s in Guangzhou 2012In Beijing 2012 Shanghai, 2012 The Shanghai Museum was amazing. Here are the girls posing by a Bronze Drum. These drums are a symbol of Guangxi province where Sageet is from.Shanghai from the Huangpu River @night, including dinner, 2012 Shanghai: Huangpu River cruise @night, including dinner, 2012 Nanning, 2012In Sageet’s orphanage with the same director who worked there in 2003, Beihai 2012Four Beihai girls our families posed for pictures with the director and the vice director of the social Welfare Institute. The buil ling behind us with the red roof) was where our girls lived when they were at the SWI. We are so lucky to have made such good friends (girls and parents alike based on our mutual adoptions together 9 years ago. And we are really blessed to be able to travel together and share these experiences.In Sageet’s orphanage with the same director who worked there in 2003, Beihai 2012In Sageet’s orphanage with the same director who worked there in 2003, Beihai 2012Eating spicy chicken feet in Beihai 2012The girls In the orphanage, Beihai 2012
Our gift to the SWI Here we are in a storage room so that we could take a photo with the air conditioner we bought for the orphanage. This was our group gift.The girls In the orphanage, Beihai 2012Geet and Lili In the orphanage, Beihai 2012Visiting with SWI staff We had a chance to visit one-on-one with people who really knew our girls well. Danling joined us to translate. We remembered the woman pictured with us from 9 years ag
From our 2003 trip I have a picture of her tickling Sageet and making her laugh the day our adoption became final.Jia and a playmate Geet’s orphanage 2012Geet’s telling a story about herself @the orphanage, 2012Paper Cutting This man cut out Sageet’s profile as a souvenir. 2012Girls at Fubol Park in Guilin 2012In Guilin 2012Jia in silk We visited a silk store today and learned about the intrepid silk worms. Here is Jia, enmeshed in a lovely silk cover. 2012In Guilin 2012 with a friend…Cheers to our Guangxi Girls in Guilin 2012Reed Flute Cave, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 2012Reed Flute Cave, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 2012Reed Flute Cave, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 2012Did we mention it’s the rainy season in Chengdu? 2012Just outside Chengdu in Sichuan Province: Pandas love this misty-rainy-cool weather, 2012Just outside Chengdu in Sichuan Province: Pandas love this misty-rainy-cool weather, 2012Just outside Chengdu in Sichuan Province: Pandas love this misty-rainy-cool weather, 2012The Sichuan Opera show we attended Sunday night in Chengdu was a real highlight. It was a family-friendly show, and they encouraged you to watch the actors putting on their make-up. It was at an outdoor venue with a large tent structure built overhead. While the show was going on the torrential downpour started. Little did we know that would be a real theme for the next few days! 2012The Sichuan Opera show we attended Sunday night in Chengdu was a real highlight. It was a family-friendly show, and they encouraged you to watch the actors putting on their make-up. It was at an outdoor venue with a large tent structure built overhead. While the show was going on the torrential downpour started. Little did we know that would be a real theme for the next few days! 2012The Sichuan Opera show we attended Sunday night in Chengdu was a real highlight. It was a family-friendly show, and they encouraged you to watch the actors putting on their make-up. It was at an outdoor venue with a large tent structure built overhead. While the show was going on the torrential downpour started. Little did we know that would be a real theme for the next few days! 2012Opera Make-up The Sichuan Opera show we attended Sunday night in Chengdu was a real highlight. It was a family-friendly show, and they encouraged you to watch the actors putting on their make-up. It was at an outdoor venue with a large tent structure built overhead. While the show was going on the torrential downpour started. Little did we know that would be a real theme for the next few days! 2012Chirography: Sageet is learning the art of Chinese calligraphy. 2012Chirography: Jia is learning the art of Chinese calligraphy. 2012A sign at the chirography center. 2012Visiting a school at a local village 2012Visiting a school at a local village 2012Visiting a school at a local village 2012. Geet with two girls.Visiting a school at a local village 2012. It was an incredibly hot and humid. The students volunteered to show up since it was mid-summer.Jia @ the school in a remote village, 2012Life-Sized Terracotta Warriors. The Terracotta Army or the “Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses” buried in the pits next to the Qin Shi Huang’s tomb, Xi’an China 2012
Life-Sized Terracotta Warriors. The Terracotta Army or the “Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses” buried in the pits next to the Qin Shi Huang’s tomb, Xi’an China 2012Xi’an: Nightlife, 2012Making dumplings, 2012 Beijing, 2012 Beijing, 2012 Jia is flying a kite on top of the wall surrounding ancient Xi’an city. A common practice there. 2012“Sticky Buns” is a term Scott and I used to describe riding a bike in the amazing heat in China. Xi’an city, 2012Peking Duck: Our last night in Beijing we had a Peking Duck for dinner we all (except for Jia, who basically refuses to eat any Chinese food) now know we like. At first Sageet and her friends were hesitant to try it, but our intrepid tour organizer Danling (bending down, talking to Grace) encouraged them to try. Grace took a bite, declared it tasted just like bacon!, and that was all Sageet need to hear — she tried it, and even had seconds and thirds… 2012The Whole Group. We had an amazing candid meeting with several Chinese people. The conversation covered politics, the economy and the future. 2012Making Dumplings, 2012In Beijing eating a beautiful lunch in someone’s house, before making dumplings, 2012Beijing: Rickshaws are bicycles these days — and a tourist attraction. Cabs are cheaper, so the average citizen would probably opt for a cab or other transportation. We had a very hot day but it was a great dav of site-seeing, visiting with a local citizens’ panel. and a traditional Peking Duck dinner before boarding our train for Xi’an. 2012Summer Palace: Cotton candy galore… 2012Starbucks @ the Summer Palace, 2012A local Beijing family’s mode of transportation, 2012in Beijing, Jia is entertaining the girls, 2012Here is Jia dancing when asked to pose by these pretty cloisonne vases. 2012The Great Wall of China, 2012The Great Wall of China, 2012The Forbidden City, 2012Beijing, smoggy and polluted, 2012 Getting Sageet’s official birth certificate in Nanning, 2003 The Behai Group: Last group shot, tonight after a fantastic Shanghai acrobat show. We are off to the Pudong airport at 6AM. It’s been an amazing trip. Cheers to our intrepid friends in the Behai Group, and for all of you following our blog – – we can’t wait to see you on the other side of the Pacific. xo, Lisa, Zëevi, Sageet and Jia! 2012How it all began: In the hotel in Beijing on the first full day in China, before arriving to Nanning to meet our beautiful girls. 2003 In Nanning with Sageet, right after we met her for the first time. 2003Dave and father-in-law with Brook. In Nanning, 2003In Nanning with Miss Geet 💙 right after we met. 2003With a friend in Guangzhou, 2008Reed Flute Cave, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 2012Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 2012The Great Wall before meeting our girls, 2003Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 2012Reed Flute Cave, Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, 2012
About Abba Zë
This site started as “glida.org,” named after our dog Glida (read more in the sidebar). We brought Glida home after visiting Israel; she was a stray 🐶 looking for 💙…
We love traveling and this is our story in photos.
Thanks for visiting.
This little mutt with a healthy ego inspired in me the idea of creating a website. The site has evolved since but it’s core, seeing hazily, remained intact.
Glida was born in Israel and immigrated to the US in 1996. She’s a mutt with bogus interests and limited social skills, much like her dad. Besides chasing squirrels and bunnies (she never caught one!), she likes her two walks a day — rain or shine — and getting unhealthy treats. Feel free to roam the site and get lost in its forbidden lifelessness.
Sadly, on November 19, 2011, Glida passed away at 17. They say about Israeli natives (such as Glida and I), that we’re like Sabras (Israeli cactus): prickle on the outside and sweet on the inside. Glida, however, was prickle on the outside and prickle on the inside. Gonna miss you tons “Doggy Bag.”
