Author Archives: pmichael

Day 11 – Three Gorges Dam and Flight to Shanghai

Today was primarily a transit day with limited sightseeing. In the morning we disembarked the Yangtze Explorer and drove to River Closure Park to view the Three Gorges Dam. Mostly completed in 2006, it is the largest hydroelectric dam in the world.

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Three Gorges Dam

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We then drove to the airport, seeing the Xiling Gorge on the opposite side of the dam.
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Driving Through the “Flip Side” of the Xiling Gorge

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Upon arriving in Shanghai, we had lunch at a Ramada Inn near the airport before arriving at the Fairmont Peace Hotel, where I chose to crash for the rest of the day.

Day 10 – The Three Gorges and the Shennong Stream

This morning we cruised through the Qutang and Wu Gorges, enjoying the views and the perfect weather from the top Explorer deck.

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Sailing Through the Qutang and Wu Gorges

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We took an excursion on the Shennong Stream, a tributary of the Yangtze, first disembarking and taking a ferry, and then transferring to traditional sampans (small wooden or “peapod” boats). Our outdoor lunch in a local village was catered by the Yangtze Explorer’s crew. We toured a village home and shop before returning to the ship.

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Shennong Stream Excursion

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In the late afternoon/ early evening we cruised through the Xiling Gorge, again enjoying the views from the top Explorer deck.

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Sailing Through the Xiling Gorge

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Our day ended with a Taste of China Farewell Dinner, where we were greeted with surprise appearances by Chinese dragons and the “Emperor and his concubines”.


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Day 9 – Fuling City Market and White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum

Today we took a shore excursion to the city of Fuling. We toured the two floors of the local market – Harris Teeter was never like this! Our local guide told us that the vegetables are genetically modified (they are huge!), plentiful and cheap. One woman proudly displayed a live duck in her shopping bag (the poor duck seemed oblivious to its impending destiny as the main course). We also saw two women carrying their babies in baskets on their back.


Fuling Skyline

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Fuling City Market

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We then visited the White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum, which protects a natural stone ridge with hydrological inscriptions recording the history of the low water levels of the Yangtze River.

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White Crane Ridge Underwater Museum

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After returning to the ship for lunch I attended lectures on traditional Chinese medicine and the Three Gorges Dam as well as a silk embroidery demonstration. I then joined my fellow travelers in the upper deck’s Explorer Bar for Happy Hour and the Captain’s Welcome Reception which was followed by a buffet dinner. I finished my day with shopping at the ship’s art gallery.

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Yangtze Explorer and Views from Stateroom Balcony


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Day 8 – Chongqing Pandas and the Yangtze River

Today was a rainy day, but fortunately, most of it was spent in transit. We left Guilin and flew to Chongquing, where we visited the local zoo to see the pandas. It was definitely worth getting soaked to see them!

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Chongqing Zoo Pandas


The raccoon-like Red Panda – somewhat larger than a domestic cat

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After leaving the zoo, we boarded the Yangtze Explorer for our 3-day cruise on the Yangtze River. After dinner, I enjoyed the illuminated Chongqing skyline from the balcony of my cozy stateroom.

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Day 7 – Li River Cruise and Cooking Lesson in Yangshuo

There was pouring rain when we left our hotel in the morning, but amazingly, it stopped just in time for our cruise on the Li River. The weather during the rest of the day was overcast but otherwise nice. We enjoyed a relaxing cruise with beautiful scenery and lots of animal and bird sightings.

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Li River Cruise

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After disembarking, we drove to Yangshuo, stopping to look at rice paddies and small plots of other crops along the wayside.

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At Yangshuo, a resort town, we had lunch and a cooking lesson at the Cloud 9 Restaurant. It is the town’s oldest restaurant and cooking school and features local dishes and Sichuan-style cuisine. We prepared kung pao chicken; my culinary masterpiece was pretty good, in my humble opinion.
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Yangshuo


Cooking Class at the Cloud 9 Restaurant

Kung Pao Chicken – My Culinary Masterpiece!
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After returning to the hotel, I took a last stroll through the gardens and mini-zoo, discovering a piglet and Skia deer that I had not seen before (unfortunately, I had left my camera in my room).

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