As we continue our cruise begun in
"Yangtze River Cruise #1" we are entering Wu Gorge,...
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The steep slopes of the gorge are green
with trees and bushes. The gorge has been long known to be as...
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As the Yangtze River cuts its way
through the Wushan mountains, its roaring currents change their directions...
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Wu Gorge has 12 high peaks described
as being 12 fairy spirits, according to legends. The best known is...
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We are nearing the end of Wu Gorge.
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This farm/residence will be under water
by 2009. The Yangtze is the third-longest river in the world flowing...
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This man will probably be able to use
this land as a residence/farm until the end of 2008.
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I think I would not worry too much about
the condition of my home/farm if I knew it would be completely under water in...
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A lot of back-breaking work went into
the formation of the terraces to allow the ground to be used wisely in the...
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Ms Wen presented a lecture on silk
embroidery and presented samples to help us understand how the type...
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Silk embroidery begins with the transfer
of the design onto a sheet of silk or satin canvas using a pinprick...
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To create subtle gradations of tone, the
silk artist may split a single silk thread into several thinner threads,...
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Mr. Gu demonstrated his techniques in
traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy.
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Snuff bottles make up an important part
Chinese craft art. Snuff and snuff bottles were introduced to China by...
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Kites are displayed prior to flying of
them by Apple, an employee of Victoria cruise lines. The kite in China...
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The style of a kite is limited only by
one's imagination. With many different unique and novel shapes, a...
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The wind was not kind to Apple who
finally was able to show off her kite and her talents in flying it.
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Although there is no visible sign
as to the 175 meter level, certainly the lower four buildings will be under...
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A "river guide" on the 4th floor of the
ship provided commentary while we cruised through the most important areas of...
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The Yangtze River is probably China's
most-outstanding natural resosurce. It is the longest river in Asia and third...
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Covering 3,720 miles, the Yangtze has
over 700 tributaries.
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For over two centuries the Yangtze has
been a transportation highway and commercial thoroughfare. Ocean-going...
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Every year the Yangtze deposits massive
amounts of silt helping to make a large plain used to grow rice. The fertile...
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Rice is he world's single most important
food crop and a primary food for more than a third of the world's...
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Although foreigners refer to the entire
river as the Yangtze, the Chinese use that name for about 350 miles of it in...
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Looking back at the Yangtze River we
had just traversed as we looked ahead at the Three Gorges Dam.
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The Three Gorges Dam has two side-by-
side lock channels which are the world's biggest.
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Each channel has five sequential locks
or stages. Each lock can hold a dozen ships at a time. Because the...
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When the project is finished in 2009,
the level of the water directly behind the dam will have risen 510 feet. The...
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At the Farewell Banquet the Cruise
Director and the Captain were introduced and received an enthusiastic...
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At the Crew Cabaret the entertainment
began with the crashing of cymbals and the beating of drums to...
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Face or mask changing is an ancient
Chinese dramatic art as performers wear brightly colored costumes and move to...
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Face changing was first used in a story
about a hero who stole from the rich to help the poor. When he was caught by...
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A crew member performs as part of the
cabaret the last night on the ship.
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The crew entertains with singing and
dancing.
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Although these ladies were crew members,
the cabaret show is also an opportunity for passengers to display any special...
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Since 1994 Victoria Cruise Lines, which
is an American company, has been operating its ships on the Yangtze. Our ship...
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The zither-like musical instrument is
called a zheng, rests on two pedestals and is played using 3 to 4 imitation...
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The Dizi is the traditional Chinese
flute. It is believed to have been brought from Tibet more than 2,000...
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The dancers/crew members join hands
as they present their finale. Meanwhile, the ship has begun its trip...
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Sandouping, a small town, was chosen
from 15 contestant cities to be the site of the Three Gorges Dam. As early as...
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When finished, the Three Gorges Dam
will be the largest and most powerful hydro-electric project in the world....
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The Three Gorges project has been
engineered to store over 5 trillion gallons of water and to withstand an...
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The reservoir will allow 10,000-ton
freighters to enter China's interior, which currently limits...
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In 2009 when the gorges have reached
their projected levels, over a million people will have been relocated...
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The project is estimated to cost
$24.65 billion U.S. dollars. The money to fund the construction is coming...
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In 2009 the Three Gorges Dam will be
the largest electricity generating facility in the world, and the...
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The Chinese government and the dam's
engineers view this project as a symbol of national pride, proving...
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There is a lot of controversy surround-
ing the construction of the dam since 140 villages, 1,600 factories, and over...
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The operators of cruise ships say that
even in 2009, the expected completion date of the project, the gorges...
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Our cruise ship, the Victoria Star, is
at the right of this picture, as a dangerous dragon looks as if it might turn...
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We have returned to our ship after
visitng the dam near Sandouping. These local people are sure to have a...
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Xiling Gorge is the longest part of the
Three Gorges system and has many dangerous rapids.
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The water level here should not rise as
it is downriver of the Three Gorges Dam and reservoir. Just as...
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Shortly before reaching Yichang which
was the end of our cruise, the ship passed through a single lock of Gezhouba...
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This picture was taken to show non-
travelers that everything is not fun and games when traveling. The passengers...
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When we had extra time before our flight
to Shanghai after we visited a museum in Yichang, the bus driver said...
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Rather than yaks seen in Tibet, water
buffaloes are used for ploughing in the rest of China.
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Although construction of the dam has
changed Yichang, with a population of 600,000, into a thriving metropolis and...
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Farmer's property in Yichang
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Farmer's son watched us as we asked
the farmer questions through the interpretation of our national guide.
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The farmer as we stood in his house
asking him questions about his life and his work
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The farmer's kitchen
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