Travels in the Land of the Dragon, pt 5

Xi'an and Terracotta Warriors

A straightforward and short internal flight to Xi'an in a modern Airbus jet.  All our bags are collected at the carousel by the Viking team which saves a lot of hassle and they magically appear in our hotel room some time later!

Before getting down to business, I really must remark on the choice of hotels by Viking throughout the tour.  Five star throughout means real quality but the Renaissance in Xi'an is at the very top of that rating.  Only La Residence in Hue, Vietnam; shades it in terms of personal experience.   You could hold a conference in our room!

Serious, but understated luxury

View in the other direction

In addition to what you see, there is a massive all-marble and glass bathroom tucked away round one of the corners.  The wet area consisted of a bath and shower which was slap bang in front of a large picture window.  About 100 metres away was an apartment block.  Anyone with a set of binoculars or telephoto lens........ if you get my drift.  I mentally resolved the problem by thinking that watching a 71 year old male wouldn't attract much interest. I didn't solicit Jennie's opinion in the knowledge that the response would confirm that belief. It was only after the shower that I discovered the control for a well-hidden powered blind, sigh.......  So far, no blackmail attempts from the Ministry of State Security (I jest!)

It was an early start to see the Terracotta Warriors before the crowds built up.  Perfect timing as it was the only wet day of our stay in China and apart from walking between buildings, most of the action was indoors.  However, with the lengthy walk from the coach drop-off point, looking at the displays and walking back to the pickup, several kilometres are involved.  With old sports injuries to my knees and Jennie having had a hip replacement earlier in the year, we both used single walking poles to good advantage.

Most of us have seen photos or TV programmes about the Terracotta Warriors but NOTHING can prepare you for seeing the real thing.  The sheer scale of the endeavour is simply overwhelming.  The size of pit 3 is monstrous and the staggering thing is that it will still be excavated for years to come.  Here is a small selection of photos.  Jokes involving the word "statuesque" being carefully avoided.

Jennie and part of pit 3

Horses and warriors - each one different

Statue under conservation

Conservators at work

Exquisite detail on the sole of a kneeling archer

On-going excavation

Although I've added a lot of photos, there is no way that anyone contemplating this trip will justifiably feel it's been spoiled by too much prior exposure.  The sights are so dynamic that they're ever-changing and as I mentioned previously, photos and narrative simply can't compete with being there.  One final photo , the content of which came as a real surprise, especially with me having studied and practised engineering for much of my life.  Chrome plating (of a sort) was known about in China around 250 BC!  The photo below shows a sword which still has traces of chrome plating.

Traces of chrome on the sword

After the Warriors, we visited a factory which produced high quality lacquerware .  What a privilege to see traditional craft still practiced.  In the photo below, an artisan is putting the finishing touches to a hand painted globe.  The price as you might expect wasn't cheap but it's an art object, not a child's toy!

The word nice is an understatement

Painting a lacquered table

Carved and lacquered camphor chest - sensational smell from the bare interior

A late lunch that day was a high quality buffet.  I tend to avoid lots of food photos but at this restaurant, chefs were making noodles from scratch on the spot and adding them to beef broth.  We were able to then add herbs and/or vegetables.  In my case, it was chopped scallions and garlic chives, dressed with chilli oil.  Looked sensational and tasted equally good!

Chefs making fresh noodles

My beef noodle soup

That evening, we had the option of attending a Tang Dynasty dinner and show.  I was indifferent about going along but Jennie was keen and it would be a shame not to take full advantage of the occasion.  So glad we did - it was brilliant!  The story was pretty easy to follow and the live orchestra was excellent.  However, the visual effects, using computer projections onto translucent cloth were world-class and the actor costumes were outstanding.  So was the bottomless rice wine served with dinner, but enough of that!  A few pictures.....

One of the computer-aided sets

Elaborate costumes

A dramatic moment

The orchestra

A short video from the show

On the way back from the show, we went through central Xi'an where all the streets and trees were beautifully lit with coloured lights - quite a spectacle.  The following photos aren't high quality due to exposure time but they give some idea of the spectacle.

Illuminated lanterns in the trees

Entrance to a park

Illuminated tower

That was the end of our stay in Xi'an, with a flight scheduled for Beijing, the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. The Great Wall was something I'd known and thought about since my teens.  Now it was about to come true!

Next - Beijing and the Great Wall

Travels in the Land of the Dragon, pt 4

Upstream to Chongqing

Moored in Shibaozhai overnight, the day was supposed to start with a walk to a temple on the waterfront.  As it was hot and humid, the decent walk followed by a climb of several flights of steep stairs inside the temple didn't have much appeal.  Jennie and I opted to chill on the sun deck for a couple of hours instead.

The photo below taken through a telephoto lens shows the temple.  It has 9 floors and was built in 1819. (without nails, I understand).  No charge for this rivetting information - pun intended!).  The wall in front of the temple was built to protect from the rise in water level above the Three Gorges Dam.  Depending on the season and water needs, the level can rise a further 10 metres or thereabouts compared with that in the photo.  Extensive walling and levees can be seen all along the Yangtze to compensate for varying water levels.

Shibaozhai Temple

Whilst we were chilling on the sundeck, we noticed that some of the town residents were doing their laundry in the traditional manner at the bottom of some steps where the ship's passengers disembarked.  We were a little puzzled as it was a good 800 metres to the start of town and presumably, the dwellings either had running water or there was a closer water source.  Most likely, it was a tradition and/or an occasion to socialise with friends.  We hoped they weren't contracted to do the passenger laundry given that the clothes were taking quite a beating on the stone steps!!

Laundry day - silt in the water replaces the need for starch

Covered scooters at the top of the steps - might take to the skies in a strong breeze!

Continuing upstream, it was interesting to see activity on the banks of the Yangtze and some of the new cities which had been built to house residents displaced by the power project.  The cities were mainly high density high rise buildings.  How the locals who previously had a more rural environment coped with the move is unknown and cultural differences between East and West might also affect perceptions.  The new cities, whilst not my style of living, looked well-designed.

One of the new cities along the Yangtze

Workboat beached at the high water mark

We couldn't tell whether the ship in the following photo was being built from scratch or whether it was being refurbished.  However, its position relative to the current water level gives some idea of the variation in levels upstream of the Three Gorges Dam. Maybe the vessel is in the backyard of someone called Noah.

We have a boat in our yard too but not not quite the size of this one!

Just outside one of the cities, I noticed 5 river cruise boats rafted up together which made for a reasonably arty shot.  They looked in poor condition so were either waiting for refurbishment or scrapping.  Amazing how the Yangtze reveals all sorts of interesting things along its length.

Anyone fancy a boat for a weekend cruise with the family and assorted hangers-on?

One careful owner, in need of a small tidy.  Offers welcomed....

Jennie, enjoying high tea on board - a genteel moment

Whilst on the subject of food, the next picture is of a mousse dessert served on board one evening - exquisite.

Almost too good to eat!

Chongqing, where our Yangtze journey stops

Chongqing is where General "Vinegar Joe" Stillwell and Lee Chennault were based in WW2 with the Flying Tigers P40 squadron.  Famous for the sharks mouth painted on the engine cowling and much-copied later; it had personal significance for me.  This was because in my young teens, I still remember that a P40 in Flying Tigers livery was one of the first plastic model kits I ever made. How about that for a useless bit of trivia?

  

The photo below shows the floating pontoon which we used to disembark and begin the next stage of our vacation.  It was fascinating to watch the porters carry our luggage ashore.  Many had sturdy bamboo poles over one shoulder to which cases at each end were tied.  We had visions of both cases and porter disappearing into the water never to be seen again!

 Getting ready to disembark

Before our flight north, there was time to visit the zoo and see the world famous pandas.  Leaving early gave us time to see them before crowds built up and before it got too hot.  We were lucky to arrive at feeding time.

First time seeing one in the flesh

Awful cute and playful

Fascinating to watch them manipulate the bamboo

Gorgeous Red Panda

A White Tiger

A gaggle of 3-wheeler taxis

Beer at lunch - excellent throughout China

After lunch and before our next flight, we visited a local market which was quite a sight.  I'll spare the more squeamish readers seeing raw meat on hooks in high temperatures or live frogs waiting to be consumed.  However, the vegetables and spices made a nice display.

Veggies - some familiar, some not

Something to bring colour to your cheeks

Outside the market was a police kiosk, with what I took to be a small police electric vehicle.  Its low speed capability suggested that it was mainly used for issuing parking infringements or fining senior citizens with walking frames for impeding traffic.  Nevertheless, I took a photo as it was being diligently guarded by Officer Cat.  No doubt, produce from the market formed the remuneration for his diligence.

Police pursuit vehicle and the ever-diligent Officer Cat

We've come to the end of our Yangtze cruise and enjoyed every minute of it.  Fantastic sights, a new culture, making new friends, the exemplary service by the crew of Viking Emerald.  Hopefully, that's abundantly clear from remarks in the previous blog posts and it won't be forgotten in a hurry.  Now it's time to catch another internal flight to start the land-based part of our vacation.

Next Xi'an and the Terracotta Warriors

Travels in the Land of the Dragon, pt 3

The Three Gorges area

By way of a short introduction, the Three Gorges area covers about 240 km of spectacular limestone gorges.  The Three Gorges Dam itself became fully operational in 2011/12 and is the largest hydroelectric station in the world. Over the centuries, the Yangtze River has been subject to fairly regular severe flooding, particularly in the lower reaches.  This has caused considerable loss of life and major damage to towns and cities along the river.  The decision to build a massive dam to regulate water flow (and generate energy from a renewable resource) wasn't without controversy, particularly as it involved raising the water level upstream of the dam to some 170 metres above sea level.  The consequence was submerging numerous towns and villages as well as antiquities and adversely affecting the environment.  Relocating a substantial population would also require the construction of new cities to re-house them.  It seems to me to be a case of damned if you do, damned if you don't but being pragmatic, the Chinese went ahead which was likely the correct decision; even if not a straightforward one.  That's a difficult real world decision which had to be taken with some substantial downsides as well as positives.

Heading towards the gorges, we were taken by the elegance of the numerous bridges and here are some examples.

Elegant simplicity

Substantial cables add to the elegance

A bit of colour variation

In the lower reaches of this area, there was quite a bit of industry along the river banks.  In the example below, a shipyard blended surprisingly well with the local topography.

Industry and nature all in one photo

Entering the lock at the Gezhouba Dam

Passing through the gorges, various towns were encountered which were precariously perched on the hillside.

A picturesque town in the gorges

Installing solar panels on a riverside dwelling

Traditional junks at anchor

Hmmmm.... nothing that a small tube of silicone won't fix!

Base for the local water police

Before we reached the main dam, we were given an excellent on-board talk about its construction and operation.  I'm hesitant to help readers lose the will to live by giving too many facts prior to a few photos but here are just a few details to show the mind-bending scale of the project.

• 1.4 million people relocated.  Submerged: 150,000 acres of land, 13 cities, 140 towns, 1500 villages, 1300 archaeological sites.
• The dam used 27.2 million cubic metres of concrete, 463,000 tonnes of steel and moved around 103 million tonnes of earth.  The dam has an installed generating capacity of 22,500 MW

In other words, mind-blowingly BIG!

It has upstream and downstream locks for large vessels and a vertical elevator for lifting ships under 3000 tonnes, along with flotation water.

First sight of the staircase locks - each rising 22 metres - incredible!

Before passing through the locks which was to take some 3-4 hours, we were able to disembark and walk round parts of the dam which was an incredible experience.  Here are a few representative photos from the heap we took.

Entry to the locks from above

Large container ships in an upstream lock

Top end of the locks including the smaller boat elevator

Upriver side of the locks and dam.  It's 2.3km wide!

Soon, it was our turn to pass through the dam and locks.  Nothing can prepare you for the sheer scale of the project and you feel pretty insignificant when inside it. We shared each lock with several other large vessels, such was the size.  The journey started in daylight and finished in the dark which was a great way of seeing it.

Guarded by the military as a critical strategic project

Entering the lock with other large vessels

Gates opening (800 tonnes each) to allow progress

Some of the commercial vessels seemed to have whole families on board with nice decorative touches like pot plants and other items to turn it into a home.

Pot plants and what looked like herbs or vegetables being grown!

Exiting the last lock after dark

The following morning, we transferred to sampans run by locals for a trip up the Goddess Stream, a small tributary of the Yangtze. The narrow waterway and towering cliffs were overpowering to the senses - we were running out of superlatives!

Sampan on the Goddess Stream

Some impressive geological folding

Towering, vertical cliffs

Seriously steep landscape on a majestic scale

It's always a pointer with respect to how engaged people are with their surroundings - not much talking whilst we were travelling up and down Goddess Stream.  Again, words and photos can't do it justice.

I haven't commented much on shipboard life simply because of the attractions outside the vessel.  However, it can be summed up as outstanding.  Great company, magnificent food that catered for all tastes, top facilities and probably best of all, a crew who went above and beyond to ensure that we all had a great time.  I'm not really a cruise person but the balance between cruising and land-based activities was spot on.

Next - Upstream to Chongqing