Our cruise down the Yangtze River will take four days and three nights. We will go about 450 miles from near Chongquing to Yichang, China. The Yangtze is the third longest river in the world; 3964 miles. They claim that it is the largest river system with over 700 tributaries. The Yangtze Valley is home to 1/3 of China’s population which is 1/12 of the world population.
In the afternoon, we stop for a few hours at the city of Feng Du, the Ghost City. A chair-lift takes visitors up a mountain which overlooks the city. Several temples and a pagoda are on top. A local guide instructs us in how and where to walk so that we don’t have any ghost encounters.
The food on board is great and the entire staff is helpful and very friendly.
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Cruising down the Yangtze, on a Sunday afternoon — oh, yeah I’m not sure it is Sunday but —- We listen to a variety of programs available on the ship – facts about the Yangtze and the Three Gorges Dam project, Chinese language lessons, how to select and care for pearls, kite making and flying, silk embroidery, painting inside glass containers, etc. Some of us get hair cuts, pedicures, and manicures. In the afternoon we visit Feng Du – the ghost city where there is a temple to the God of Hell. After we return to the ship, we prepare for the captain’s welcome party. The party begins with complementary champagne and appetizers. Then we have a meal served individualy to our table. For dessert we have birthday cake and all guests with a birthday in March are recognized (me, Linda, and Charlotte made the list). After supper we are entertained with a neat fashion show of costumes of the Chinese through the ages. If this is cruising, I think I could get used to it!!! Fran