Friday, October 14, 2016 China
When we awoke this morning, we were in a new
land, literally. We had crossed the border and travelled through the night on
our way to Beijing. We wish that we could have seen the transition from the
wide open Mongolian landscape to the mountainous and populous landscape that
surrounded us now. We certainly were in China!!
The scenery was spectacular. High rocky peaks
in every direction. The train tracks followed a river for a very long time,
placed high on a ledge looking down at the flowing water. Many tunnel were
drilled through the mountains so the train could make it through this rugged
territory. On both sides of the track, every arable inch of land that was not
consumed with housing was being used for agriculture. A surprising amount of
corn was grown, currently being harvested by hand and the stalks piled into
stooks for later pickup. Of course, there were rice paddies, now dry as the
rice approached maturity. Grapevines surprised us, all under netting to protect
them from the birds. A great deal of market gardening was visible, supplying
all sots of vegetables to the marketplace. And groves of fruit trees … all
harvested already so no clear indication of what fruit was being grown.
We passed two places where the river had been
dammed and lakes created for irrigation and drinking water, no doubt. The
fishing must have been great in one of the lakes because men in fishing boats
peppered the surface of the water. Some of them seemed to have caught some fish.
It all sounds beautiful … until you add the
incredible air pollution that impacted our breathing and limited our sightlines
to enjoy the natural world around us. Even so far north of Beijing, the haze in
the air was very, very thick. As we passed through towns, we witnessed
factories and energy production that was based on coal. Black plumes of smoke
were being emitted from smokestacks in every location.
By the time we reached Beijing, we could
hardly make out the skyline of the city. We found our driver just outside the
station and headed directly for our hotel. Having been to Beijing previously,
we passed by many familiar landmarks, including Tiannamen Square. Even at
ground level, the smog impacted the view. We checked into our hotel and made
our way to our 18th floor room. But we knew there would be no view
due to the pollution. How sad.
We attended to some business today – money,
ongoing train tickets, laundry, - and then enjoyed our first authentic Chinese
meal, hot and sour soup and Kung Pao chicken with rice, accompanied by lemon
tea. It was delicious. We are definitely in China!!
A quiet evening in our room will prepare us
for an adventure tomorrow as we head out into the streets of Beijing.
Saturday, October 15, 2016 Beijing
So much for an adventure in Beijing.
When we got up in the morning and looked out the window, the smog was so dense
that neither one of us wanted to leave the hotel. So, I stayed in the room and
successfully completed our Mongolian photo book and Jim puttered for much of
the day with his computer. It was a very relaxing day.
A zipper on Jim’s backpack has given
out so he contacted the Targus company where he purchased it (in Canada) and
(this could only happen for Jim) the Targus company made arrangements for him
to pick up a brand new backpack at a Targus outlet in Beijing. So he headed off
this afternoon and a couple of hours later he arrived back with a brand new
backpack. Happy as a clam!!!
We tried a restaurant near our hotel
called Porridge. It was open early for breakfast but it also offers a full menu
with a little bit of English to help people like us out. We ended up eating
there twice, for a late breakfast and again for dinner. We enjoyed the food a
great deal and the prices seemed very reasonable. Good chicken, good
vegetables, good pork and good rice.
Tomorrow we board yet another train early to head to Guilin,
about a 12 hour trip on a Chinese fast train. It is almost as far as Orlando
from Toronto so that is a fast trip. I hope we can still take some photos.
Sunday, October 16, 2016 Beijing
to Guilin
Happily, we were staying in a hotel adjacent to the train
station from which we were departing for Guilin. It was a short walk to the
station early in the morning. There were very few people on the street at 6:30
am other than those tour groups following leaders with flags or umbrellas who
clearly were making an early start to their day.
Train station security in China is tight. No one without a
ticket may enter the station and those of us with tickets have to send our
luggage through an xray machine and pass through a metal detector ourselves.
Once inside, we checked the timetable for our train (it was on time … they
always are!) and the board indicated which waiting room was designated for our train.
We picked up some McDonald’s breakfast and made our way to wait for the train.
Soon we passed through another gate where we had to show our
tickets and then we made our way to Platform 17. That was a bit tricky for me
as it involved a down escalator and I was carrying luggage. A friendly young
man offered to take my case on the escalator and I found a staircase to the
same platform (my strong preference over an escalator). We met at the bottom
and Jim and I began the long walk along the platform to Car # 2. The train had
16 cars and we started at Car 14 to walk forward. When we boarded our car, we
were disappointed to see that our seats did not have a window. As the car was
very empty at this point, the car attendant allowed us to sit in the row behind
for the time being. (Much later in the day at a distant station, the passengers
assigned to the seats we were occupying arrived and kindly allowed us to use
them for the balance of the journey. They really wanted to sleep so the
arrangement did not bother them at all!)
The train we were on is known as ‘the bullet train’ and
travels at speeds of up to 300 kilometres an hour. We were travelling
approximately the distance from Toronto to Orlando, Florida (over 2000
kilometres) and this train carried us that distance in 11 hours. Pretty
amazing!! The ride was smoother than a traditional train and the seats were
extremely comfortable. One drawback from a tourist’s perspective was that it
was very difficult to take photos through the train windows. Everything was
flashing past so quickly that it was literally ‘point and shoot’ and hope that
there was something in the photo to make it worthwhile. I already know we will
be deleting quite a few of them.
Not surprisingly, the landscape varied dramatically along the
way. We travelled across vast flatlands, through high mountains, along river
valleys and on rugged ledges that frequently required lengthy tunnels to
provide safe passage. What was consistent about the landscape though, was that
every inch of arable land was put to good use to grow food. Rice, corn,
vegetables of all sorts, fruit trees, and more. There was one crop that we
could not identify. It seemed to be a broad-leafed vine that grew in the open
air to a certain point and then it was covered with light coloured cloth to
protect it. From the sun? From the birds? We are not sure but we curiosity will
compel us to find out more.
We crossed many broad rivers and passed by large and small
lakes. As it was a Sunday, parks by the lakes were teaming with people and
lakes were peppered with men in boats
hoping to catch something for Sunday dinner.
We did not see any livestock along the route. Clearly,
animals are raised in other parts of this vast country.
We worked together today to complete our photobooks for both
Russia and Mongolia. It is easy to do and fun as well while the memories and
details are still fresh. Now that we are in Chin, we want to focus our
attention on this part of our adventure so putting the other photos books to
bed was important. And we have!!!
The train arrived in Guilin just as dark fell over the city.
And, for the first time, our guide was not at the station to meet us!! Yikes!!!
We took our luggage as far as the main exit to the station and waited for about
a half an hour. Jim had the name of our hotel and we had figured out how the
taxis worked, so we gave up on our guide and headed for the taxi stand. Just as
we arrived at the front of the line, we heard our names being called from a
distance. Indeed, it was Jason, our guide, who was very apologetic about being
late. We were relieved that he actually did arrive so in the end all was well.
Together, we made our way to our hotel, the Lijiang Waterfall Hotel. Following
a quick dinner, we went to see the waterfall display that this hotel is known
for. A waterfall flows over the edge of the roof of the hotel across the entire
width of the building and falls nine floors to a pool at the bottom. It is 72
metres wide and 45 metres high. Bright white lights illuminate the water and
music plays in the background. It was pretty impressive, I have to say,
although we were surprised that no coloured lights were used. It is listed in
the Guinness World Book of Records as the largest man-made waterfall.
And then it was time to retire to our room. And edit photos,
write the blog and finish the photobooks. All done .. and now it is time for
bed!
Monday, October 17, 2016 Guilin
Jason, our guide for this area, picked us up at 9 am
promptly this morning. We all laughed about what had happened the night before
and agreed that punctuality for all of us would be of benefit. We hopped into
the waiting van and headed off to the first of three destinations for today.
Our first stop was the village of Dacha, now integrated into
Guilin as it grows larger. Dacha is a very old village, some of which has been
retained as an historic area and some of which has been redeveloped to look old
but is actually fairly new buildings. The new area is populated with many
market stalls selling all manner of goods – pickled food items (you name it,
they will pickle it), street food (primarily tiny fresh crabs and fish from the
Li River, cleaned and deep-fried), souvenirs, baskets and hats, scarves and
various other items. While it was an interesting market from the point of view
of tourists, it was not nearly as delightful as the more ancient part of this
town.
Sadly, the older part has not been successful in attracting
many tourists or market stalls. It sits quietly. All the better for us though
as there were no crowds to impede our gentle walk along the old street where we
could enjoy pausing and look carefully at the original architecture, see the
signs that indicated what kinds of business was transacted, and hear the
stories our guide told us about the importance of the Li River as a trading
corridor from Guanghou to Beijing. Loaded boats would travel for 15 or more
days along this waterway to converge on Guilin to do their trading. Sugar cane,
bamboo, pine wood, rice and other foods would arrive at one of the many docks
that are still visible along the river. The town was a very busy place and much
money changed hands here. Some very wealthy people resided along the Li River,
living in the front part of their homes while transacting their business from
the rear along the river.
We were invited into the home of one of the descendants of
the original traders. He lived in what might have been considered a museum,
having saved a myriad of ancient tools from earlier days. He was delighted to
demonstrate many of them for us and loved to have his photo taken. We spent
about an hour in his home, enjoying his stories and trying out some of the
tools ourselves. He handed Jim a toy/puzzle and challenged Jim to take it
apart. Jim was very quickly successful and the old man was delighted. He
thought Jim was a very smart man, indeed!
We finally returned to the van and departed the village of
Dacha. Next stop was a cave with many stalactites and stalagmites. It also had
many, many steps and our guide wisely suggested that I might not enjoy this
experience. So, we stopped at a very elegant hotel along the way (one that had
western toilets, I might add) and I enjoyed the next hour as the sole customer
in an amazing café where I sat in a chair that could have been a throne. I truly
did feel like a queen! Jim and our guide carried on to the cave and, although
the photos were impressive, Jim agreed with the guide that I would not have
enjoyed being there.
A trip to the pharmacy was next … yes, I am still fighting
some sort of head and chest congestion. It is really tricky to describe
symptoms through an interpreter to a pharmacist who will provide medication. At
least this time, I was given some medication whose names I recognized and I
hope that they will do the trick. And, yes, I intend to make a doctor’s
appointment as soon as we get home to find out what in the world is going on.
Armed with some new pills and lozenges, we carried on to
lunch at a restaurant called McFound. The name did come from a similarity
between the Chinese name and the name McDonald’s but it is very unlike
McDonald’s in every way. Our guide helped us order foods that would complement
one another and we enjoyed a delicious lunch. We shared all the items we
ordered – a beef noodle dish, beef and coriander wraps, pan-fried dumplings,
green onion flatbread and a pork and leek chapatti. (I know I am using food
names from other cultures but I do not know the Chinese names for any of these.
What I do know is they are traditional Guilin food items and they were very
tasty!)
After lunch we made one final stop at one of Guilin’s most
popular tourist destinations, Elephant Rock. The mountains and rock formations
in this area are one of the reasons it is on the tourist circuit. Some websites
call it one of the most beautiful places in the world. Elephant Rock is a part
of that landscape and does look quite like an elephant whose truck it drinking
from the water of the river. Well worth the time to stop for photo but was it
ever busy!!!
We enjoyed a few hours back at the hotel before heading out
again for the evening. This time a cruise around the lake in front of our
hotel.
Jason met us at 7:15 and we walked across the street to the
boat dock. There was a mob of people milling around. Obviously this was a
popular evening activity because there were five boats tied side by side for
loading and they were all sold out. We were leaving at 7:30 and there was
another trip planned for 8:45 on all five boats again.
The boat ride was very pleasant. We passed through a narrow
channel from the small lake where we started into a larger lake. Both lakes
were very festive with many spotlights and twinkle lights decorating the
shoreline and highlighting some landmarks. Against the backdrop of the neon
lights of the city, it was very festive! At various junctures along the way,
there was entertainment on the shore for us to enjoy – musicians, dancers, folk
artists, and cormorant fishermen. These provided for some variety along the way
as well as further insight into the culture of this area of China. The final
performance was by a musician who was actually on our boat. He played a
traditional Chinese stringed instrument (two strings) but he played more modern
music on it. Titanic, Sound of Music, Turkey in the Straw, Frosty the Snowman, Auld
Lang Syne. He did also play one very mournful Chinese melody. Three beautiful
pagodas illuminated the water and several bridges, each with a different style
and lighting guided the boats along their course. There were even spotlights
shining on a nearby mountain so that its profile was visible against the dark
night sky. It was a terrific way to spend part of an evening. We were
delighted.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016 Li
River Cruise
Although the sun was not shining this morning,
we made the most of our time today on the Li River. This region of China is one
of the main reasons we have come back to this diverse and enormous country. The
Li River is described by some as ne of the top ten areas of beauty in the world
and a ‘must see’ for serious travelers. So here we are!
Our driver and guide picked us up this morning
promptly at 8:20 and we made the 40 minute drive to the pier from which our
cruise ship would leave. As we travelled along the highway, we noticed more and
more tour busses populating the roadway. We wondered if they could all be going
to the same destination as us. By the time, we reached the pier, we knew they
were all coming to the same place.
In total, there were about 4000 cruise
passengers who would travel along the LI River today. Each boat held about 200
passengers and one by one, they all filled up and pulled out from the dock. The
boats were actually tethered in sets of 5 at each pier. We were on Boat 16,
happily assigned window seats. We took our place in the long line of vessels
that slowly made their way along the river.
Before long, the reason we were all there
became abundantly evident. Tall peaks of unusual mountains soared above the
river. Most of these mountains were tall and thin with oddly rounded tops. Some
stood alone and others were clustered into groups. All were covered with lush
green vegetation, except where a rock slide had created a sheer rock face
plunging to the shore of the river.
The boats floated slowly along the river as
cameras clicked incessantly, taking a myriad of photographs. The Li River did
not disappoint in its beauty. We were disappointed that the backdrop was not
clear blue skies and sunshine but there was nothing we could do about that.
For almost 5 hours, we floated along the river,
drinking in the scenery. The only formal interruption was that lunch was
served. It was a pretty ordinary pre-packed meal, nothing to write home about
(although here I am doing just that!). Toward the end of the cruise, the
scenery was less spectacular and we were encouraged to relax or nap during that
time.
When we disembarked, I understood why a rest
was a good idea. All 4000 people disembarked at the same time and we funneled
into a long and narrow terrace, lined on one side with an impromptu market
offering everything a tourist might want in the way of trinkets to take home.
And together, we walked forward ... more than a kilometer … with occasional
horns honking behind us as scooters tried to make their way through the crowd.
Who knows how they got into this line?
At the end of the corridor, Jason purchased
tickets for a shuttle bus and we joined hundreds of people clamouring to get a
seat on a minibus. 10 people per bus and no standing allowed. What chaos!!! In
the end, we did get on a bus and remarkably enough, the bus took us to our
hotel. Jim and I were both absolutely astonished!!
We checked in and made arrangements with Jason
for activities later today and tomorrow. A traditional folk performance tonight
which Jim will attend. It is an open air event and the weather prediction is
heavy rain. I will happily remain at the hotel to work on the blog and our
photos. I was also able to find one English language tv station …. News from
Beijing. Interesting to be sure. No mention of the American election at all!!
Tomorrow, we start the day with a cooking
class, carry on to a Tai Chi class and then take a drive into the countryside
to see some of the agriculture in this area.
Wednesday, October 19, 2016 Yangshuo
Today has been a terrific day. First off, the
rain stopped just as we were about to leave the hotel and the sky lifted so
that the air was clearer and the temperature slightly cooler than
yesterday. We were grateful for that.
We walked from our hotel to the restaurant
where the cooking class would be held and enjoyed a very pleasant cup of tea on
an upstairs balcony overlooking a pedestrian mall that was gradually coming to
life as shops opened, deliveries were made and pedestrians wandered into the
street. One especially interesting feature of this street was the community
well which was just below our balcony seats. It appears that many businesses
make use of this water for the purpose of cleaning (we might call it brown
water). Buckets were carried to the well with lengths of rope attached to their
handles. The bucket was dropped into the well and then hefted back to the
surface, filled with water. Cleaning rags and floor mops among other tools were
used to clean various businesses and then the dirty water was disposed of into
the sewer system along the street.
There was a lady directly across from us who
was renting motorbikes to tourists. She took special pride in ensuring that her
motorbikes were polished! As bikes came and went (a surprisingly busy little
enterprise), she made several trips to the well to replenish her bucket and
wipe down the bikes before renting them again. Choices included a bright red
bike, a very pink bike and three bikes that were painted in the motif of the
Union Jack.
Our cooking class got underway about 10 am and
we spent the next two hours chopping, dicing, mixing and, of course, cooking.
The proprietor had a great set up – a kitchen with 20 woks on gas-fired heaters
with space in front for a bamboo cutting board and a mean looking cleaver at
each station. Sauces and herbs were stored in small containers for easy access
and food that had been cleaned and prepared ahead of time was stored in various
containers on a shelf under the working table. Dishes were also stored there
for later use.
We made three recipes this morning – Kung Pao
Chicken, Eggplant and Cucumber Stir-Fry and Pork-filled dumplings. The
instructor’s instructions were extremely clear and we all successfully prepared
various vegetables, meats, garlic and ginger. We also managed to prepare the
filling for dumplings and actually make 8 dumplings each to be steamed later.
When the woks were turned on the noise in the room became somewhat overwhelming
as the gas jets and the sizzling of the food added to the already noisy clamour
of our teacher and 17 students. Nonplussed, the teacher put on a microphone
headset and called out above the din.
When all was said and done, Jim and I had managed to prepare a pretty
delicious lunch – add rice and eat!!! We sat at our balcony table once more and
enjoyed our food and the activity on the street. It was a great morning!!!
After lunch, we moved on to meet with a Tai Chi
instructor who provided us with a brief history of Tai Chi, an explanation of
its various forms (6 styles in total) and a demonstration of the first 10 moves,
followed by 24 moves. How graceful he was!!! And how articulate he was about
the Yin and the Yan and how Tai Chi can calm the soul and heal the body just by
bringing a calmness to both. We both deeply enjoyed spending time with him and
felt that we had learned a great deal about something that we had never
explored before.
Our final activity for the day was a beautiful
drive in the countryside. We had viewed the unusual mountain formations along
the Li River as we cruised by yesterday. But today, we drove along roads that
wound up and down various peaks and carried us through villages and across
valleys that made up this region. Agriculture of various kinds was evident –
rice paddies already harvested, market gardens with leafy crops still growing, orange
groves and lots and lots of kumquats. Yes, this is one of the world’s most
successful areas for growing kumquats. Thousands of trees with hundreds of
kumquats covered much of the treacherous landscape. Steep slopes, sometimes
reaching to the tops of the mountains, were lined with trees and irrigation
lines. In addition, there were large metal hoops that stretched over the tops
of the kumquat trees. We learned that kumquats are somewhat like grapes in that
they enjoy added heat thrive. So, during the winter months, plastic covers are
placed over the groves of kumquats so that the fruit will flourish. And to
think, I do not even know how to make use of a kumquat. Do you?
After a few hours wandering the countryside
(our driver and guide are very patient people), it was time to head to the
Guilin Airport. We have a flight at 8 pm this evening to take us to Chengdu
where we will spend the next two nights. We are currently sitting in the First
Class Lounge since Vanessa, who has planned the China leg of this trip, decided
to book us into First Class for our flight. We are going to enjoy this
privilege to its fullest extent.
Thursday, October 20, 2016 Chengdu
Having a good breakfast sets up the day well.
We were going to see the pandas today at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant
Panda Breeding. This research centre Is well known for its extensive and
successful breeding program with giant pandas. They have increased the world’s
population of pandas significantly over the last several years and are exploring
ways to introduce pandas born in captivity into the wild.
In the meantime, on a hot, humid, rainy day,
more than 10,000 people made their way to the sanctuary to view the pandas. To
say it was crowded is simply an understatement. Although we did have an
opportunity to get a good view of 6 giant pandas as well as some babies, there
was a lot of pushing and shoving and yelling surrounding us. Happy as we were
to see the pandas, the atmosphere detracted from the overall experience.
The sanctuary was established quite a distance
outside of Chengdu. Literally, hundreds of tour busses crowded the parking lot.
The grounds of the sanctuary as well cared for and reflect the natural habitat
of pandas as much as they can. Pandas primarily eat bamboo shoots and each day
over 200 kilos are brought to the sanctuary and fed to the pandas every six
hours. Pandas spend much of their time sleeping but they are motivated to move
a bit when tasty treats are offered. A keeper put an apple on the end of a
stick and one giant panda waddled over to eat it. Two things learned: I did not
know that pandas ate apples (or pancakes which we saw later on); and, I did not
know that pandas have opposable thumbs, enabling them to hold and manipulate
things in their ‘hands’.
We also saw pandas sleeping high in trees; we
saw pandas climbing up and down trees; we saw pandas waddling through brush on
the forest floor. We saw twin baby pandas sleeping in their crib. And we saw a
playful yearling romping in the forest. Considering that at birth they only
weigh a few grams, they sure do grow in their first year. It was amazing to see
the difference.
Finally, the rain and the crowds became too
much to handle so, with our guide, we headed back into Chengdu for lunch.
Chengdu is a relatively new city and has grown rapidly to a population of 13
million. Wide streets enable heavy traffic to flow fairly smoothly; wide
sidewalks make way for thousands of pedestrians; traffic signals are designed
to allow long lines of traffic to move through the intersection on a single
light. We saw very few bicycles but thousands of cars and motor scooters. Most
of the cars had only a single person in them. The scooters were designed for a
range of purposes – delivering cargo, supporting construction projects, transporting
mail, carrying fruit and vegetables to and from markets. Many people rode
scooters to and from work, sometimes transporting 3 or even 4 people at a time.
The center of the city is a forest of extremely
tall apartment buildings which house millions of people. The main floor of many
of these buildings is commercial in nature and the floors above are
residential. Amid this forest, our driver found the restaurant where we were to
have lunch.
Chengdu is known for a hot pot meal. Two pots
of broth, one inside the other, are brought to boil over a gas burner in the
middle of the table. The centre pot is
less spicy than the outer pot. Meat and vegetables are added to both pots of
broth and allowed to cook for several minutes. Each diner has a pair of
chopsticks and a dish of combined condiments (chili, coriander, parsley,
garlic, sesame oil and more). When the food in the broth is well enough cooked,
it is removed with the chopsticks and dipped into the condiment combination and
eaten, often with rice. Thank goodness Jim and I are fairly proficient with
chopsticks. While we did make a mess, we could at least get the food from the
pot to the condiments to our mouths. Hot pot was a great meal to discover!!
In the afternoon, we visited a very old section
of the city; some of the buildings were several hundred years old and had been
refurbished to reflect their history. Many of the buildings on one particular
street were used as shops, making it a very interesting street to stroll along.
Once again, the crowds were oppressive though and we did not stay very long.
One ironic thing about this street was that, as you entered from one end, the
first shop you passed was Starbucks!! I did nip in for a caramel macchiato
grande. Mmm good!!
Inclement weather persisted throughout the day
and we ended up returning to our hotel earlier than expected which was just
fine with us. We are now in the final few days of our adventure and I think we
are getting worn down by the pace and the incredible learning that is happening
each day. We were grateful to have a few extra hours in our hotel. In fact, we
wre still so full from lunch that we did not even go out for dinner.
Friday, October 21, 2016 Chongqing
This morning started early as we left our hotel
before 7 am to catch a bullet train from Chengdu to Chongqing. We travelled
comfortably at 300 km per hour and covered the distance of almost 500 km in
just over 2 hours.
Our guide met us at the station and we set off
for a full day of exploring Chongqing. Chongqing is an ancient city that
reflects its history through architecture from various dynasties as well as its
involvement in wars throughout history. One impressive monument is a clock
tower in Time Square (yes, you read that right). This clock was originally constructed
in 1917 after WWI and subsequently refurbished in 1948 after WWII. Around the
clocktower is a beautiful pedestrian mall sporting such stores as Gucci,
Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Prada. This area is the financial hub of Chongqing
and its current success is reflected in the retailers it attracts and supports.
Needless to say, we did not do any shopping here.
We did go and have a very nice lunch in an old
Chinese hotel. Far too much food, all beautifully prepared, was set before us.
We had not eaten breakfast so we were quite hungry but we could not even begin
to finish what had been served to us. Our experience in China has been that the
portions are extremely large.
After lunch, we went to the Three Gorges Dam
Museum. Three Gorges is the area our cruise is going to travel through. The dam
was built to create a new and enormous hydro-electric power plant. Thousands of
people and their home were displaced due this undertaking and the museum is
dedicated to all those who had to find new places to live.
One more stop completed our day. We visited Old
Town, the original area of this vast city (32,000,000 people) founded almost
2000 years ago. The intention was to do some shopping in a few of the tourist
shops, but we were simply too tired to take on the crowds. So we had a quick
look around and then headed for our cruise ship.
Not surprisingly, the entrance to the cruise
area was nothing like we would experience at home. We hopped out of the van at
the top of a hill and a porter took our 2 large bags and balanced them across
his shoulders on a long, thick stick. He took off ahead of us down a long paved
ramp to an area where we would board the ship. There was a lot of construction
going on and things were quite dusty and quite confusing. Three staircases awaited
us – the first had a railing, the second had no railing and the third once
again had a railing. When we got down the second treacherous set of steps, I
reached for the railing on the third set of steps. Only one problem!!! They had
been painted just a few minutes before I arrived. As my hand curled around the
railing, I felt the warm, wet paint adhere to my palm and fingers. Bright
red!!! There were a few gasps and my words of wisdom in that moment … but there
I was covered in red paint and only a Kleenex as a defence against sharing it
everywhere else. I am proud to say that no luggage and no clothing was damaged
during the creation of this story. I carried on to the ship and washed my hands
very thoroughly. Although skeptical that the paint would come off with just
soap and water, I am happy to tell you that it did. And, when I looked out the
window a while later, I noticed that there are now several large warning signs
about the paint.
We checked in with the ship’s crew and made our
way to our cabin. It is compact, as expected, but extremely clean and
comfortable. We are looking forward to the next three days on board. Unpacked,
settled and well fed … Good company as
well, several passengers from Canada in fact. Time for some rest.
Saturday, October 22, 2016 Yangtze
River Cruise
Today was a very relaxing day. I have realized
that after 6 weeks of pretty energetic travelling, I am tired. It is hard to
admit that but it is the truth. So, I decided that this was a day of rest for
me and I was simply going to explore the ship, enjoy our cabin, read my book
and generally take it easy.
But first … a presentation on Chinese massage
and acupuncture. Advertised as an English presentation, we arrived to find that
the only language being spoken in the room was French. I tuned in as best I
could but Jim wandered off to find someone else to talk with. I got the gist of
what they were talking about but the best part was the actual application of
the theory. They invited volunteers to come forward to receive various kinds of
massage, acupuncture and cupping. It was very interesting to watch and learn.
Eventually an English speaking guide did arrive and spent time with three of us
(all other English speakers had left by then). She was able to answer questions
and make suggestions as to what kind of treatment might address specific
concerns. She was very earnest and although her English was also very good, she
had difficulty with the letter ‘n’, pronouncing it as ‘l’ instead. So when we
chatted about acupuncture, she referred several times to the ‘leedles in the
lee’. I will leave you to figure out what she meant. I resisted the urge to
giggle.
Jim continues to be his curious self and he did
plan to venture out on a couple of excursions.
However, he has come down with a cold and visited the ship’s clinic
where the doctor decided he was dehydrated and hooked Jim up to an IV which
limited his range of movement for a couple of hours. Some enforced rest was
likely a good thing. When he was released, he had antibiotics and a cough
suppressant and permission from the doctor to go on the afternoon excursion to
a nearby pagoda. Off, he went … but soon decided that the 350 steps to the top
were more than he could manage. Jim did describe the swinging bridge with rope
railings that everyone had to cross. I knew then that I had made a good
decision to stay on board the ship.
While Jim was in the clinic, I was mostly in
the cabin, enjoying the view of the passing landscape. What started as hills
along the river’s edge soon grew to be small mountains and as the day passed,
more and larger mountains appeared in the distance. Tomorrow we will actually
enter the Three Gorges area where high peaks with shadow the river and dwarf
the ship. That will be fun.
What is curious to me is how this cruise seems
to operate. There are about five cruise ships following the same route down the
Yangtze at the same time. At various places such as this pagoda stop, all five
ships arrive at the same time and all the passengers get off in groups with leaders
to go to the destination at the same time. Because there is no pier long enough
to accommodate five ships, the ships tie up beside one another and the
passengers from the furthest ship have to walk through the other four ships to
get to the shore. We were ship number two so our passengers only had to walk
through one other ship to reach the shore.
Because we were tied up side by side and
because I was in the cabin, I got to meet a lovely couple from Edinburgh,
Scotland who were in the cabin adjacent to ours but on the next ship. It was
quite fun to stand by the rail and have a chat while others were climbing the
pagoda.
Eventually Jim returned with a trinket from the
market and an ice cream bar (he had already eaten his). We had a before dinner
drink and headed off to our table of 8 for the captain’s welcome dinner. Our
table of 8 includes 6 Canadians (New Brunswick, Ontario and Alberta) and 2
Bostonians. They are interesting because in and Asian environment with a few
Causcasians tossed into the mix, they really stand out. One is a large, very
fit black man with dreads down to his waist and his partner is an Indian woman.
We have had a table conversation about standing out in a crowd and they have
had some very interesting interactions with curious Chinese people. They were
both very gracious about comments and laughter and even touching that has
occurred. Yikes!
After dinner, there was a ‘show’ in the large
lounge area. Singing, dancing and even a little drama awaited our pleasure. It
was quite fun and demonstrated the flexibility of the dining room wait staff to
also be on stage in costumes performing for a large audience. Multi-talented to
be sure.
By this time, the ship was underway again and
we sailed through the night.
Sunday, October 23, 2016 Yangtze
River Cruise
I was awakened this morning by a large noisy
crowd just below our balcony. I could tell that the ship was stationary so I
was curious what was the cause of all the noise. When I looked over the balcony
rail, I realized it was a large group of Chinese tourists who were pushing
their way onto our ship. It soon became clear that we were once again in a ship
formation where, in order to reach shore, passengers from many ships had to
pass through ours. The Chinese in general are a very loud people and very pushy
as well. The group (about 200 people) below me was in a cluster about 5 abreast
and had to get into a single line to cross the gangplank onto our ship. This
caused a great deal of commotion, to say the least. Passengers were yelling,
tour guides were yelling, ship staff were yelling … quite a production!!
Breakfast was a pleasant and much calmer event.
Our table is very compatible and often closes the dining room down because we
enjoy simply sitting together and chatting.
There was a movie about the building of the
Three Gorges Dam showing in the cinema at 8:30 am (does the day start this
early on every cruise?) which Jim and I wanted to attend. It was in English and
was actually very informative about the history of dams as producers of
electricity and how each large dam has gleaned knowledge from other dams that
have been built. The Three Gorges Dam is the largest dam built anywhere in the
world and required the diversion of the entire Yangtze River for a period of
over two years.
The movie also talked about the displacement of
over a million people due to the building of the dam. As we sail along the
river, we can see many new apartment buildings that were constructed to
accommodate the people who once lived in the villages, now buried deeply under
the water. What an abrupt change in lifestyle from country dweller to city
dweller for these folks.
After the movie it was time for me to have my
Chinese foot massage. I really did not know what to expect except that the
focus would be on my well worn feet. Sitting in a giant easy recliner was a
pleasure and my feet were immersed in a pink liquid to soak. And then … the
masseur attacked my shoulders and neck!! I guess the neckbone is connected to
the footbone after all. After a vigorous massage of my neck and shoulders, he
turned his attention to my feet. Tops, bottoms, ankles, arches, calves and
shins … oh my. At times, it was pure pleasure. At times it hurt like anything.
But at the end of it all, I was far more relaxed than I had been when I
arrived. He rolled my pant legs back down and then his hands reached for my
thighs. More rubbing, patting, clapping, pressing, finger indentation … there
was pain and pleasure in this as well.
After almost an hour, we were done and I walked out, happy that I had
taken the opportunity.
Just back in the room, the announcement from
cruise director Julie came over the intercom. We were entering the first gorge
of the Three Gorges Dam and we were invited to join her on the top deck to see
the gorge in all its splendor and to hear her commentary. Another opportunity
not to be missed. It was absolutely ‘gorgeous’!!!
The river narrowed between two towering cliffs
and the water deepened. Forested slopes and sheer rock faces created a wind
tunnel with breezes so strong that the chairs on the deck were blown around.
Passenger ships, cargo vessels and fishing boats all shared the waterway. We
passed by many villages that had been abandoned during the building of the dam.
It was eery to think that so many of the village buildings were now buried deep
below the surface of the water. Over 1 million people were displaced when this
dam was built.
And then, the deck emptied … Lunch had been
called and hungry people flocked to the dining room.
After lunch, we were back up on the top deck as
we navigated through Gorge Number Two. This one was 45 kilometres long and it
took much longer to make our way from end to end. The breeze was just as strong
but the crowds disappeared from the deck far sooner than they had this morning.
That left Jim and I and about 8 other people on the deck alone. It was lovely
to feel the wind in our hair and watch the mountains and villages slide past
with unimpeded view. There was a surprising number of homes on the hillsides.
Some residents were actively farming the land but the question of how the rest
made a living was widely questioned. It is so far away from everything, or so
it seems.
Shortly after leaving the gorge, we docked and
disembarked to board a smaller boat that would take us into the Shennong Region
on a smaller river that was totally changed due to the increased volume of
water created by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. The water in the
river used to be very shallow, in places less than one metre, and now it is
about 40 metres deep. Whole communities were displaced and new housing provided
atop the high hills in the area. Crops on farms also changed. No longer was it
possible to grow rice in the area. The main crop now is corn. That has meant
that the diet of this area has also changed with corn being the mainstay
instead of rice.
We travelled along the Shennong River and
enjoyed the company of very capable guides who pointed out natural and cultural
features along the way – monkeys playing, bamboo growing, a beehive high in a
tree, a cave that goes 5 miles into the mountain and, most spectacularly, a
hanging coffin in a huge crevasses high on a cliff face. The coffin dates back
over 2000 years and contains bones, tools and precious belongings of the
deceased. Because in the minority group that lives in this area there is no
written language, no one is sure how the coffin was hung so high on the
hillside. That will remain a mystery.
After several kilometers, we came to a small
village where we changed boats again, this time getting into wide wooden canoes
(12 people per canoe). Each canoe had 5 boatmen, four to row and one to steer.
For the first while, two of the boatmen ran along the shore holding the boat
close to the edge with a thick rope woven with bamboo. Soon, they also hopped
into the boat and we were rowed along a very narrow stream wedged between two
very high cliffs. We were in a very remote area of China, an area that has been
inhabited by a minority group called Ba for thousands of years. They were once
successful farmers and fishermen but since the changes in Chinese government
and the ‘rising of the water’, they have become dependent on the tourist trade.
Guides and boatmen are now fundamental to village economy.
It was a beautiful trip and we are glad that we
had the opportunity to see and understand the impact of cultural change on a
very longstanding community.
Dinner followed and then early to bed for me.
Jim stayed up and observed part of the process of travelling through the locks
at the Three Gorges Dam. Five locks from the top of the dam to the river below,
40 minutes each. Sadly, our ship was booked to enter the locks at midnight so
it made a late night for those who chose to watch. Jim’s observation was that
it was very similar to the Panama Canal and the Welland Canal.
Monday, October 24, 2016
Yangtze River Cruise and Yichang
Up bright and early this morning. Breakfast was
at 6:45 and the bus trip to the Three Gorges Dam left at 7:30. We have been
impressed with the high level of organization on this cruise and today was no
exception. Each cabin number was assigned to a bus and the busses were all
clearly marked in the area where we boarded. And off we went …
Our guide this morning spoke the best English
of any guide we have had for this entire trip. He spoke clearly and was easy to
hear. He was extremely knowledgeable about the Three Gorges Project and Dam and
shared a lot of information as we travelled the short distance to the dam. We
first saw the dam in daylight as we crossed the Yangtze River on one of the
many suspension bridges that have been built as part of the overall project.
Our first stop was for a security check. No
problem! But we were flabberghasted at the number of busses and people that
preceded us. Over 40,000 people visit the dam each week, that is over 5,000
each day. And at the time we were there is felt like 2000 of them were in line
ahead of us. We all had to step through a scanner/metal detector as well as
being whisked by a hand-held scanner and all of our purses, backpacks, etc had
to go through an xray machine. No matter how efficiently it was handled, it
still took some time.
We got back on the bus and continued to the
visitor centre at the base of the dam. Here we were able to see a diagram
showing the various components of the project as well as a 3-D model that
helped us to visualize what we were about to see. Three Gorges Dam is the
largest dam in the world. It is 185 metres high and generates enough
electricity each year to support the needs of 90,000,000 people. It is an
awesome structure to behold!
The dam also has a five step lock system to
transport ships over the dam. There are two sets of locks allowing ships to go
either up or down simultaneously. Each lock takes about 40 minutes to operate
so the whole process requires about 4 hours in time. Ships pass through the
locks 24 hours a day. Shipping on the Yangtze is an enormous industry.
Smaller vessels are able to use an elevator to
cross over the dam. A vessel sails into a container which is filled with water.
Gates close behind it and the vessel and the container are lifted or lowered in
an open elevator all in one go. This is a fast and efficient way for small
vessels to continue their journey.
The Three Gorges Dam project was initiated to
achieve three goals: first, to generate electricity; second, to control
flooding in the Yangtze basin; and third, to boost the economy of China through
creation of new industries as well as the development of tourism. There is no
doubt that all three goals have been achieved.
This project has not moved forward without
controversy though. The environmental impact of the flooding of such a vast
area in and around the Yangtze River is of grave concern to scientists. It
truly is the great unknown. While there is no doubt that the creation of great
ponds of water along the river will help in reducing the potential of massive
flooding (hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives due to flooding
on the Yangtze), there is also no way of knowing what impact the increased
volume and depth of water will have on the overall landscape. One thing for
certain, the beautiful mountains and cliffs that are adjacent to the river,
especially in the gorges, have been diminished in size by about 40 metres due
to the shore of the river being raised. So the face of the landscape looks very
different now than it did before ‘the water rose’ (a delicate way used by the
Chinese to describe what has taken place).
A second and perhaps more important issue is
that over one million people were displaced because of this project. Their
homes, their land and their way of life are now submerged under 40 metres of
water. Many of the younger people affected have left the area and moved to the
cities in search of employment. The older generation were more reluctant to
leave and have moved to new housing complexes built in towns that existed or
were created for their benefit. Apartment dwelling is quite different from
living on the land and many have experienced some difficulty adapting to a new
way of living.
Fishing and agriculture have changed
dramatically. One direct effect is that it is now very difficult to grow rice
due to the slopes in the fields. Corn is a more reliable crop and thus, corn
has replaced rice as a mainstay of the local diet.
It is not just the main stream of the Yangtze
River that has been impacted but all the tributaries and other inflowing rivers
have been flooded far upstream. As described In yesterday’s commentary, whole
communities have had to find new ways of supporting their economies.
Too soon, it was time to reboard the bus and
return to our cruise ship for the last time. Finished packing, Jim and I spent
some time on the top deck enjoying the view as we travelled through the third
gorge, the Xiling Gorge. The mountains were not quite as high through this
gorge, and the slopes were a bit more gentle. Agriculture was prevalent along
the shores of the river, at times growing crops for personal consumption, and
at times cultivating crops to take to market. It was a beautiful, pastoral area
adjacent to one of the longest and most powerful rivers in the world.
Sometimes, Jim and I still have that ‘pinch me’
feeling. Are we really here?
When we arrived in Yichang, it was time to
disembark. One last time our guide showed up as planned and we were taken on a
short tour of Yichang before going to our hotel for lunch and a rest. It was a
great opportunity to reorganize our luggage and gather all our purchases
together. We are clearly in the mode of ‘we do not need more stuff’ because our
shopping on this trip has been very limited.
Finishing our photo books, labelling photos and
completing the blog were also important activities for the day. I know myself
well enough to know that my motivation for completion will go down
significantly when we get home, so it is very important that blog and books be
complete before boarding our flights.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Last Full Day
in China
It is very hard to believe that the trip we
have been dreaming about for years is so close to being over. We closed our
suitcases this morning with the knowledge that our large cases will not be
opened again until we arrive home in Waterloo.
Today was a very pleasant day as we boarded a
train bound for Shanghai, our final train journey in China. It was raining and
overcast but that did not diminish our pleasure as we passed through beautiful
farmland, large modern cities, rugged mountain ranges, along river valleys,
over monster bridges, enjoying every moment of the 9 hour trip. We read, we
watched, we chatted and we napped.
And finally, early in the evening we arrived in
Shanghai. Having spent time in Shanghai when we were in China in 2000, we have
not allocated any time here this time. We got in a taxi at the train station
(assisted by a very helpful Chinese man who showed us exactly where we needed
to go) and headed off to an airport hotel about 60 kilometres away.
We are now nicely settled into our room and
prepared for our long flight home tomorrow. It is always nice to be heading home.
Once again, this adventure has opened our eyes to life in many other parts of
the world. We have grown in our understanding of geography, culture and
economies … and we have even learned quite a bit abut ourselves.
Where will our next adventure be? We are not
quite sure …. But we know for certain there will be one.
Thanks for reading and ‘travelling’ with us. It
is a pleasure to share!!
