Day Eleven – The Lessor Three Gorges

The mighty Yangtze River, or Changjiang, is said to be the cradle of Chinese civilization, marking the boundary between north and south China. The Yangtze River flows 6,300 kilometers from Tibet to the East China Sea. It is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world. Our cruise features the Three Gorges, famous for their scenery of high cliffs, beautiful foliage and quaint farms.

Today's off-ship excursion will transfer us to two smaller ships for a cruise through the Lessor Three Gorges, along the Daninghe River, a tributary of the Yangtze. This first shot is of the main Yangtze River.

 

The city of Wushan where we docked for our excursion. Notice the now all too familiar apartment rows.

 

Making a living along the Yangtze.

 

The Dragon Bridge and entrance to the Lessor Three Gorges.

 

The first of the Lessor Three Gorges, The Longmen Gorge.

The second of the Lessor Three Gorges, the Bu Wa Gorge.

2,00 year old hanging coffin. The local tribes placed their leaders Coffin inside these small caves literally hundreds of feet up the cliff face. How they got them there remains speculation today.

  

This was a typical house on the side of the hill. The owner is seen fishing from his boat.

 

This walkway is a reconstruction of one just like it that was 400 km long and 1,500 years old. Unfortunately, the original ancient one was submerged forever by the dam.

 

Danielle in a striking pose.

 

Marcelle from our group with the Captain.

 

The third of the Lessor Three Gorges, The Di Qui Gorge.

 

Our gang on the San Pan taking us down the Di Qui Gorge.

 

Some locals serenading the tourists.

 

A neighbors San Pan, just like ours.

 

Lucie and our San Pan Captain.

 

The police were never very visible, but they were never very far either.

 

A family on an outing along the river.

 

Lucie and I enjoying the day.

 

Some monkeys along the bank.

 

The crayfish lady selling her daily catch.

 

Back on our cruise ship, this is a waterfall along the shore of the Yangtze. A sample of the scenery we found along the entire journey.

 

A city in lights along the bank. Time to head for dinner and our show, an amateur song and dance extravaganza put on by the crew. Tomorrow we continue along the Yangtze with a stop at the Ghost City.