We took a 3-day 3-night cruise up the Yangtze River.
Actually, we were on a pretty
dilapidated ferry boat with a bunch of Chinese people, but it was the
cheapest option and the views of the gorges are the same no matter what
boat you're on. We took one of the cheapest cruises available,
and it still cost a whopping $230 for the both of us (not including
food, excursions, and a deck pass).
The only other foreigners aboard were 3
guys from Poland. But at one of the stops on the second day, they
failed to return to the boat and therefore were absent for the rest of
the trip (making our completion of the trip seem more like an
accomplishment. We didn't get lost.). The trip was not geared for
westerners at all, so everything was in Chinese. Luckily our guide spoke
a little English and managed to communicate basic information to us.
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Summary:
The scenery was beautiful, the boat was crappy,
everything was in Chinese, and we had a grand time.
Let's start with the boat we were on. Jing Shan
means "bright mountain" but this was one mountain of steel that had seen
brighter days in the past. |
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most passengers played mahjong the whole time |
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The 2nd class room we stayed in had 2 bunk beds and we
shared it with another couple. |
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The hills
that are
farmed and flooded
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Boats and
Bridges
of the Yangtze River |
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our boat goes through the locks at the dam near Yichang
(not 3 gorges dam) |
The Little Gorges To traverse the little gorges,
we had to get on progressively smaller boats. The little gorges were
quite narrow with steep walls, and I can't imagine how magnificent they
must have been before the flooding. As it was, the eerily
turquoise water wound it's way through the hills at a calm pace. |
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Excursions
along the journey from
Yichang to Chongqing.We stopped at a Ghost town
and several temples. They were a welcome break from life on the
boat. |
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an old women yells at Sera |
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skewered baby chicken lunch |
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bamboo ladder |
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