Three Gorges River Project via the Dragon Cruise

Trip Start Nov 21, 2007
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Trip End Oct 01, 2008


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Flag of China  , Hubei,
Saturday, May 31, 2008

The cruise lasted three days and three nights for us. The other passengers stayed on another day to get to the same place, but we needed to get moving. Anyway, the cruise was great. For those that care, we were on the boat that THE picture that Lonely Planet includes for the cruise highlight. We shared the boat with MANY American retirees on a Grand Central Tour, a small German tour and one really cool English chick, Rachel who was working for Tucan travel company researching tour itineraries (she has been to over 100 countries, and it was cool talking with her about our favorite experiences we've had around the world so far. Plus she lives in Queenstown, NZ which is one of our favorite places!!)


We had wonderful food and PLENTY of it. They had a nice variety of Chinese and Western for breakfast and lunch and then we at banquet style for dinner DRAGON Cruise FIVE stars
DRAGON Cruise FIVE stars
 . The first night was some sort of feast. We had about 15 different dishes to share between 10 of us and the decorations were just great. You will see pics of a carrot made into a bird, watermelon into a dragon....so fun to see that side of their culture. Layton was thrilled because they had something (either chicken, pork or fish) that was sweet and sour every day! BINGO. Jana really enjoyed a fried rice bun which was like a dense donut!


Our first day was very exciting because we spent about 3 hours going through the water locks at the Three Gorges Damn. Basically, the project has constructed a place where ships pull into an area, they close it off and then fill the area with water to raise the boat up to a higher level of water. We had to go through 5 different locks which was interesting for the first couple and then we were ready to move on. However, during our wait to get to the top of the ship-lock, we got to see the OLYMPIC torch run by. We just happened to be in the right place and the right time for this. You will see from our pics we were not THAT close, but it was quite exciting to be a part of the Olympic spirit!


We won't bore you with ALL the details and history of the 3 Gorges project Terry was SO excited
Terry was SO excited
 . Basically, the Chinese built this HUGE dam to save people from floods and create electricity. Makes sense, right? Well, what you don't know is that they have moved MILLIONS of people and spent LOTS of money on the project. The dam will flood out entire cities when the water rises to 175 meters. There is LOTS of speculation about this project, but the local guides were "very enthusiastic" about each part of the project even though most of them had to relocate their homes and families. This is not an adequate description but look at www.chinesethreegorgesproject.com to find out more. We had two different trips off the cruise. We went to visit the actual dam one day. Then, the next we went on a boat ride to the lesser three gorges and the mini three gorges which was probably the prettiest scenery we saw during the cruise. As the water rises, the gorges will not be as impressive though (one more thing that the dam takes away.) We have lots of pictures of the 175m mark and places that will soon be washed away by water. Just sad to see this happen when the flooding and electricity gained is questionable.


Oh we can't forget to tell you that Jana participated in musical chairs at one of the night social hours. She danced and twirled to victory! The game was normal musical chairs and then at the end of the music you had to grab an item from the audience like a shoe, camera, belt, etc...there were four players and Jana was #1! Ha! Guess what she got? A beeeaaauuutiful map of the 3 gorges area. Winner, winner, Chicken dinner!


We were glad we had the chance to be on a cruise and see the 3 Gorges project, the damn wasn't our top highlight but the scenery was pretty impressive. However, we were also glad to get off the boat and ready for change.

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Neon sign on our boat Neon sign on our boat and we are cruising down the Yangzi river and we are cruising down the Yangzi river our course for the next 3 days our course for the next 3 days cool boats and scenery cool boats and scenery
cool bridge on day one cool bridge on day one 5 levels of ship locks 5 levels of ship locks it took about 3 hours to get through it took about 3 hours to get through the walls were so big before the water fills the walls were so big before the water fills
the doors would let us in & then catch water the doors would let us in & then catch water other boats going through with us other boats going through with us crowd waiting for the torch crowd waiting for the torch OLYMPIC TORCH PIC OLYMPIC TORCH PIC
come on, you can see it come on, you can see it look REALLY hard look REALLY hard pic out our balcony in the shiplock pic out our balcony in the shiplock advancing through the ship lock advancing through the ship lock
3 Gorges Project Tour 3 Gorges Project Tour random police sticker on our bus to dam random police sticker on our bus to dam don't worry we have our boarding passes don't worry we have our boarding passes 3 Gorges Dam Project 3 Gorges Dam Project
monkey arms at 3 gorges dam monkey arms at 3 gorges dam model of project and our YOUNG friends model of project and our YOUNG friends just a peek at our traveling companions just a peek at our traveling companions a shot of model from other side a shot of model from other side
funny sign funny sign shiplocks from up high shiplocks from up high a pic of the whole project a pic of the whole project the whole dam from up top the whole dam from up top
as we head back home from our tour as we head back home from our tour pretty cool pretty cool carrot bird as a dinner decoration carrot bird as a dinner decoration Lisa, our waitress, showing off dessert Lisa, our waitress, showing off dessert
cute dog on cake cute dog on cake dragon out of watermelon, see santa too? dragon out of watermelon, see santa too? group shot in dining room group shot in dining room Allen our English guide at cabaret show Allen our English guide at cabaret show
girl sang Chinese song all by herself girl sang Chinese song all by herself fashion show of Chinese clothing fashion show of Chinese clothing the king gets all the fanfare the king gets all the fanfare cool outfit cool outfit
allen explaining musical chairs allen explaining musical chairs Jana thinking about her strategy Jana thinking about her strategy four of us start out four of us start out now just 3!! now just 3!!
only two left only two left Jana wins a MAP Jana wins a MAP the scenery was nice through gorge the scenery was nice through gorge the haze was pretty heavy though the haze was pretty heavy though
a cool bridge that will no longer be there a cool bridge that will no longer be there nice water and HAZE nice water and HAZE lots of green foliage too lots of green foliage too a new city built because of the project a new city built because of the project
the sign marks where the water will be the sign marks where the water will be bye bye bridge because it will not be there bye bye bridge because it will not be there bridge from far away bridge from far away the second day excursion was WAY cool the second day excursion was WAY cool
nice cliffs nice cliffs a new bridge being built a new bridge being built very high very high these gorges are nice, for now these gorges are nice, for now
will they be this nice in a few years will they be this nice in a few years after the water rises to 175 meters after the water rises to 175 meters this island will be gone in a few years this island will be gone in a few years see the 175 marker? see the 175 marker?
Emerald Gorge Emerald Gorge really nice with scene with the steep cliffs really nice with scene with the steep cliffs see teh house probably moved see teh house probably moved straight up straight up
tourist restaurant will be gone too tourist restaurant will be gone too so pisturesque if the haze was gone so pisturesque if the haze was gone Mini Three Gorges Mini Three Gorges the water is more narrow through here the water is more narrow through here
Chinese flag Chinese flag we had to load on smaller boats we had to load on smaller boats our group and local guide our group and local guide local man with fishing hat local man with fishing hat
our guide wore FANCY shoes our guide wore FANCY shoes she is SUCH a good sport she is SUCH a good sport they use bailing wire here too they use bailing wire here too now this is COOL now this is COOL
this was a great side trip this was a great side trip some people sang folk songs some people sang folk songs more boats from our cruise ship more boats from our cruise ship local man on boat sang a song for us local man on boat sang a song for us
couple shot on boat couple shot on boat Layton listening to Allen Layton listening to Allen Red Peak Red Peak another victim of the project another victim of the project
10 Yuan picture 10 Yuan picture another one another one Jenga building Jenga building Layton trying 50% alcohol rice wine Layton trying 50% alcohol rice wine
Pineapple beer is more Jana's style Pineapple beer is more Jana's style Terry LOVES this stuff Terry LOVES this stuff Snoopy flip flops Snoopy flip flops Andy gives it a go Andy gives it a go
Terry takes a hit Terry takes a hit this stuff is VERY good this stuff is VERY good Layton tries it now Layton tries it now the face says it all the face says it all
sour skittles don't help sour skittles don't help another terrible face another terrible face Layton, Rachel and Jana Layton, Rachel and Jana
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