On to calmer experiences. Our second full day, April 30, started with a two hour lecture on the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges Dam. I will now transcribe here for you. No, I don't think so. Here are the salient points:
- did you know that the Chinese do not call the Yangtze by that name? Its real name is Chang Jiang, which means long river. The Chinese certainly tell it like they see it.
- the name Yangtze came from an emperor, Yang Zi, who had claimed only a portion of the river, but had a big ego and eventually the entire length of the Chang Jiang became known as the Yangtze.
- our cruise of 660km covered only a 1/10 of the river.
- there are five locks, each one can hold four to five ships.
- it takes seven to ten minutes to fill each lock, for a total time of about three and a half hours to go through all locks. (I guess by the time they finish positioning the ships and so on. We all knew Tetris skills would come in handy some day.)
- the power produced by the Three Gorges Dam represents only 3-5% of China's electricity needs (seems so low for something so huge).
- flood control was one of the major reasons for building the dam. OK, if you say so.
Listening to our river guide during her PowerPoint presentation reminded me of someone else I know who was a river guide in her former life. No technology like that for you, right?
Our river guide also chatted about the gorges we were going to see, the first one being the Qutang Gorge, the most magnificent gorge. (Her adjective, not mine. All three looked remarkably similar to me.)
At eight kilometres long, the Qutang Gorge was the shortest. The average elevation was 110 m. That's high. I have the pictures to prove it.
Still misty, but so pretty.
Captain, follow that boat!
We eventually caught up.
The walls of the Qutang Gorge were indeed ridiculously high.
Now a photo with people in it to give you some idea of scale.
Recognize anyone?
Even with hills this steep (there's that word again!), people still
managed to build on them and carve words into their sides (of the hills, not the people).
Yes, that white structure was a house. There was a grey one below it.
This photo really emphasizes the height of the gorge's walls.
Another home
This photo really emphasizes the height of the gorge's walls.
Another home
I think this says, "If you can read this, you're too close."
A village at a more reasonable elevation
We motored on through more scenery. I'll spare you.
It really does start looking the same very quickly.
Some deck time.
That's MY hat, by the way.
The Reluctant Relocator
I know you're singing "My Heart Will Go On".
You can thank me later for that earworm.
Uncle Homer again?!?
Next, we transferred to a smaller ship so we could explore a smaller river, the Daning,
which flows into the Yangtze.
Whee! Off we went.
A new town
Old houses
A narrower river, I would say, and certainly shallower.
The Daning was a working river, too.
Getting narrower...
Still misty
Then, we transferred to an even smaller boat so we could go up the Madu,
(Mandarin for horse, ma, crossing, du) a river that fed into the Daning
(Mandarin for big, da, peace, ning). There, now you know almost as much
Last, we transferred to an even smaller boat.
I am sensing another theme here.
Uncharacteristically, we were asked to don life jackets.
Vivian with her friend Joy and Joy's dad, David, behind holding a camera.
Our guide
A boat with singers who serenaded us with traditional folk songs.
They just sit there all day, waiting for tourists.
Caves, one high up on the cliff wall
The Ba culture people, who lived 2,000 to 3,000 years ago, used caves to bury their dead.
The higher the coffins were hauled, the more respect for the deceased.
Beautiful and green
A local sampan
We finished our excursion on the Madu, took the ferry back to our
ship and passed through the last gorge, the Wu Gorge.
You've seen one gorge, you've seen 'em all.
The spread
Yours truly and dinner companions
Seeing as Hare and Vivian wereall dressed up clean,
I thought it would be a good time for a photo opp.
Boy, was I wrong. Getting a decent shot of them was like trying to nail Jello-O to the wall.
See for yourself.
Putting me in the mix didn't help.
Finally! They looked normal (as normal as they get) and I had my eyed closed.
Maybe I'll paste some in.
This was posted near an open fuse box. Ah, yeah.
It really does start looking the same very quickly.
Some deck time.
That's MY hat, by the way.
The Reluctant Relocator
I know you're singing "My Heart Will Go On".
You can thank me later for that earworm.
Uncle Homer again?!?
Next, we transferred to a smaller ship so we could explore a smaller river, the Daning,
which flows into the Yangtze.
Whee! Off we went.
A new town
Old houses
A narrower river, I would say, and certainly shallower.
The Daning was a working river, too.
Getting narrower...
Still misty
Then, we transferred to an even smaller boat so we could go up the Madu,
(Mandarin for horse, ma, crossing, du) a river that fed into the Daning
(Mandarin for big, da, peace, ning). There, now you know almost as much
Mandarin as I do (my Chinese friends still have the edge!).
Last, we transferred to an even smaller boat.
I am sensing another theme here.
Vivian with her friend Joy and Joy's dad, David, behind holding a camera.
Our guide
A boat with singers who serenaded us with traditional folk songs.
They just sit there all day, waiting for tourists.
Caves, one high up on the cliff wall
The Ba culture people, who lived 2,000 to 3,000 years ago, used caves to bury their dead.
The higher the coffins were hauled, the more respect for the deceased.
Beautiful and green
A local sampan
We finished our excursion on the Madu, took the ferry back to our
ship and passed through the last gorge, the Wu Gorge.
You've seen one gorge, you've seen 'em all.
Saturday, April 30, 2011 was our last night on the Victoria Katarina. Instead of the usual buffet, we enjoyed the Captain's Farewell Banquet. It featured only Chinese food. No one went to bed hungry.
The spread
Yours truly and dinner companions
Seeing as Hare and Vivian were
I thought it would be a good time for a photo opp.
Boy, was I wrong. Getting a decent shot of them was like trying to nail Jello-O to the wall.
See for yourself.
Putting me in the mix didn't help.
Finally! They looked normal (as normal as they get) and I had my eyed closed.
Maybe I'll paste some in.
Our last day, May 1, 2011, was the day to go ashore and visit the world's largest hydroelectric project, the Three Gorges Dam, the raison d'être for the cruise.
I was a bad tourist. I did not go on the excursion to the Three Gorges Dam. Yes, you read right. I had no desire to spend two hours in the rain pretending to be interested in a huge hunk of concrete. I pulled the princess card and stayed on the ship.
However, I don't want to deprive you, dear followers, so here are some photos of the Dam and we can all pretend we were there.
Can you see me? I was the one in the black coat.
Yeah, that's what I was wearing, a black coat.
Yeah, that's what I was wearing, a black coat.
Slightly different angle and closer
Closer still and slightly higher
Man, I almost believe I was there! Ya gotta love Google Images!
We arrived at the dock in Yichang shortly after lunch. We disembarked painlessly (no slippery metal gangplanks) and met our guide and driver. We had time to spare in Yichang before our flight left. What to do, what to do? Yichang wasn't exactly a bustling metropolis, especially on May 1, the Communist Labour Day and a national holiday. What to do, what to do?
I can tell you what we didn't do.
This!
I have never wanted to go bungee jumping and doing it in China seemed to be the height of hmmm...ahhh...errr...you fill in the blank.
Instead, we went to this rockin' tourist attraction...
... the Chinese Sturgeon Park!
As you can see, the place was packed.
Why wouldn't it be with fascinating, informative signs like these?
Sounded Betty Ford-ish
This was posted near an open fuse box. Ah, yeah.
Don't taste too many of those fish, or they'll be gone for good!
The ennui education continued.
See? I wasn't lying when I told you how popular this site was.
The best part for all involved, feeding the koi.
Mercifully, it was time to go to the airport soon after.
This was the field outside the Yichang Airport.
I kid you not. I "cow" you not, too.
We flew back to civilization as we now know it on another airline, Air China, and I swear there was someone smoking in the bathroom on that flight, too! So we finished as we started. There's a pleasing symmetry in that. Yangtze River-tick that one off the list.
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