 |
 When
westerners first reached the mouth of the longest river in China, they
asked what its name was and were told "Yangtze." This is
actually the name of the final broad stretch of the river where it empties
into the ocean. The Chinese have different names for different sections of
the river, and refer to the whole river as "The Long River"
(Chang Jiang) or as "The Great River" (Da Jiang).
This page has two parts:
There is a separate page of Three Gorges
scenery |
Our River Journey
Saturday, May 12
Sunday, May 13
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The ship goes slightly off the Yangtze to dock at Yueyang. We visit the
Yueyang Tower and a gift shop which features "Silver Needle
Tea." |
Monday, May 14
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The Gezhouba dam in Yichang produces electricity and regulates the flow
of water downstream. These sluice gates raise to allow water to escape in
the dry season. |
 |
 We
go through the lock of the Gezhouba dam, lifting us up about 150 feet. Click
here for a site that uses animation to show how a lock works. |
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Floating bollards are used to hold ships in place while the water rises. |
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We arrive at the site of the Three Gorges Dam, the
largest concrete structure in the world. |
Tuesday, May 15
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We land in Wushan and take smaller boats for a tour of the gorges
of the Daning river, often called the Lesser Three Gorges. |
Wednesday, May 16
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The ship stops at Wanzhou where we visit an
ethnology museum, stroll through open air market, and attend an acrobatics
show by local students. |
Thursday, May 17
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The ship ends its upriver journey in Chongqing,
the world's most populous city. After a tour, we fly to Xi'an |
Life along the River
Fishermen
Sampans
Farms and Buildings
Shipping
Cities
|
he crew provides a formal welcome aboard.
