BTC. River cruise. Three gorges

Cool and windy

The boat stopped again in the morning for another optional tour; we declined. After breakfast tried to get off the boat to take a walk – until the tour returned. "Sorry, you cannot get off the boat, you did not pay for the view ". The galleys were all blocked.

The first gorge, Qutang, takes about 20 minutes on our boat. Sheer walls from the blasting done to widen the riverside. On the cliffs, no homes as too sheer, but a very clear high water mark evident for hundreds of kms. The winter flooding takes, with control by the dam, the water to 175 meters. By the erosion on the sides it is clear that it always goes to this height. The ride through the gorge is very windy, very; a good wind tunnel.

Next a ferry ride, many hours, on a tributary of the Yangtze. Daning river to see several of the spectacular lesser gorges. The older town is now more than 200 feet below the water line. The new town about 500 above the water line.

Sheer cliffs with farmers still working villages as high as 4500 feet. They carry goods, as well as tv and refrigerators up on paths we could not walk. Some of the oldest farmers still have bound feet.

Hanging coffins seen – basically stone coffins 2000 years old built into crevices on the vertical walls. Maybe used ropes to lower, bamboo ropes.

Transferred to a sanpam to access even smaller gorges. Flotilla of modern reconstructions, with gorges peopled by persons doing folk songs, former boat trackers transformed into sanpam navigators. Hokey but pleasant with good views.

Once again, China tourism, like much of the trip to date, writ large. Counted 9 cruise ships converging to the smaller gorges.