The
Princess Jeannie, one of the luxury cruise ships owned by Regal
China Cruise ship company. We will be going down the river on this
or a similar ship. |
We will board our Regal China Cruise ship around 8:00 PM and begin our
journey downstream through China's rich geological and cultural history
and into her future at the Three Gorges Dam.
Each day the ship will dock and we will have the opportunity to do some
shoreside exploring. Aboard ship we will have lectures and discussions
about the history of the Three Gorges, the geology, and the impact that
the dam may have on China and the Chinese. The stops and their duration
are always dependent upon the flow and traffic on the river and the time
that the ship's captain is able to make. The tentative stops for our trip
include:
Fengdu - The "ghost city" - a fanciful mixture of Chinese traditional
art and Walt Disney-like kitsch. There is a memorable exhibit to the Buddhist
"Hell World."
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The
journey down the river is a mix of the traditional, such as this
sampan with traditional fishing net, to modern powerboats. |
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Passing
through the Three Gorges, June 2000. Views such as this will follows
us throughout the four days on the river.
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The Three Small Gorges
and the Daning River - Usually, again depending on the river
conditions, we have a lengthy excursion up the Daning River into the wondrous
and fanciful Three Small Gorges. If we're lucky we'll see monkeys and the
remnants of hanging coffins on the cliffside. This is definitely a day to
dress in "grubbys" - shorts and tennis shoes are perfectly appropriate,
and a plastic shower cap to protect your camera from the spray as we bounce
through the rapids.
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Walking
on the beach, Three Small Gorges, Daning River. We will go up the
river by motorized launch to see the wild and lovely countryside.
And, we'll see monkeys if we're lucky. |
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The
Three Gorges Dam shiplocks under construction. The view from Jar
Hill overlooking the construction site. Those are not toys, but
huge cranes. The Three Gorges suspension bridge can be seen in the
distance crossing the Yangzi River. |
The Three Gorges Dam Site
- We will take a tour of the construction site and the Jar Hill overlook.
There is no way to describe the enormity of this project which, when completed,
will be the largest dam in the world.
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The
gap that will be closed in June 2003. The space between the towers
in the center of this photograph and the right-hand bank will be
closed forever in June 2003. |
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Passing
through the shiplocks at Gezhouba, downstream from the Three Gorges
Dam. There will be contest to time the opening of the gates when
the passage is complete, and in 1999 and 2000 Lydon tour members
won the contest. We expect to win again in 2003. There's money involved. |
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A
photograph of part of the Lydon group in 2000 on the river. This
is actually a reflection in a mirrored window. The river view is
actually behind the photographer. |
The Dam at Gezhouba
- Very quietly in the 1980s, the Chinese completed a smaller dam across
the Yangzi to help with flood control, generate electricity, and experiment
with siltation. We will pass through the locks, and there will be a contest
to guess the exact time that the lock doors open. (Our group members won
the contest in 1999 and 2000, and we expect the tradition to continue.)
Wuhan - We will arrive in
Wuhan in time to do some afternoon touring including the Yellow Crane
Tower and the Hubei Provincial Museum. We will then spend the night in
the East Lake Hotel in preparation for an early morning departure to the
airport.
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