YANGTSE RIVER CRUISE
If you do not have the stomach ( literally!) or sea legs for an ocean cruise, then a River Cruise is a great option. In this article we feature a Yangtse River Cruise, in China.
The Yangtse or The Ten Thousand Li River, the largest in China flows 6,300 Km from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the East China Sea, north of Shanghai. The Chinese know it as Chang Jiang - The Longest River. According to the Chinese, If you have not traveled up Chiang Jiang, you have not traveled anywhere.
The cruise we describe, lasts for 7-9 days and will travel from Chongqing, via Yichang to Wuhan with a possible extension to the metropolis of Shanghai. We will highlight some of the magnificent sights and attractions provided by the Yangtse River.
CHONGQING, at the start of the cruise, is the fastest growing urban centre in the world. With 31 million inhabitants. Its population is larger than Peru, Malaysia or Iraq. Before leaving, visit the old military HQ of General Chiang Kai Shek dating from when Chongqing was the capital during WW2. In Red Rock Village is the former residence of General W Stilwell (VinegarJoe) who headed US operations against the Japanese. The Zha Zi Dong is one of two prisons where 300 communist political prisoners were massacred at the end of the Civil War in 1949.
FENGDU, located on the north bank, is known as The Ghost City. According to legend, the dead come to Fengdu and the devils go to hell.
WANXIAN is 327 Km from Chongqing and has been known as The Gateway to Eastern Sichuan. Cruise ships aim to arrive at night in order to enter The Three Gorgesat dawn. The Open Market sells seasonal delicacies such as Mountain Mushrooms and live eels. Shengli Lu is a night market selling Wanxian cane and rattan products. You can also purchase painted and varnished river stones.
After YUNGYANG, FENGJIE and BADONG is ZIGUI at the junction of the Yangtse and Xiangxi rivers. It is the birthplace of Qu Wuhan, a poet and politician who threw himself into the river as a protest in The Warring States Period. Locals drop zongzi (sticky rice) into the waters hoping the fish will eat the rice rather than Qu.
THREE GORGES
Sandwiched between the mountains in the mid part of the Yangtse, The Three Gorges cut across the Fengjie and Wushan Mountain in Sichuan and Badong and Zigui and Yichang in Hubei Province. With its towering cliffs, 1000 metres high, overhanging rocks and waterfalls it is a unique spectacle.
QUTANG GORGE, running east to west, is 8 Km long and only dozens of metres wide. WU GORGEextends 40 Km from the mouth of the Daning River to Badong in the east. The Peak of the Goddess is one of the 12 peaks flanking the gorge. XILINGXIA GORGE is 75 Km long with dangerous shoals and hidden reefs.
THREE GORGES DAM PROJECT
In Xilingxia Gorge is the Three Gorges Dam Project. It is the largest hydroelectric project in the world with a power plant, dam and a series of locks. It will generate the equivalent of 15 nuclear power stations, will control the centuries-old problem of devastating floods and permit navigation into the interior.
After MAOPING, at YINCHANG, it is possible to continue the trip to WUHAN. YINCHANG, The Gateway to the Three Gorges, is a busy port where the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtse divide.
Continuing to WUHAN, YUEYANG is on the south bank at the mouth of Dongting Lake which is the second largest freshwater lake in China. Its most famous attraction is The Yueyang Tower built 1000 years ago on the east shore of the lake.
WUHAN, with a population of over 7 million, is the capital of Hubei Province. Here the Yangtse meets its biggest tributary, the Han River. WUHAN is known as The Thoroughfare to Nine Provinces. It has many scenic and historical sites. These include The Yellow Crane Tower, 1700 years old and one of three famous towers in South China, East Lake and the ancient Guiyuan Temple. Its TV Tower on Tortoise Hill is claimed to be the tallest mast in Asia.
From WUHAN, one can continue to SHANGHAI, whose attractions are so very many that they will need a separate article!
In previous times, ships were pulled by hand,through dangerous reaches by TRACKERS. Men working from narrow paths cut into the steep cliffs. Today, there are modern cruise ships with 5 star, hotel-like facilities. A typical vessel is 90m long and accommodates around 200 passengers. There are suites, deluxe staterooms and standard rooms, many with private balconies and bathrooms. Facilities include restaurants, bars and coffee shops, observation areas, beauty salons, live entertainment and usually a clinic.
In this instance the old phrase - A Slow Boat to China - is very apt. The mighty Yangtse provides access to spectacular scenery, cultural treasures, religious and historical sites and the awesome Three Gorges Dam. A special holiday well worth considering.
We would recommend the best time to travel on a Yangtse River Cruise would be in April and May or September and October.
MOUNT HUASHAN
REAL ADVENTURE HIKE - MOUNT HUASHAN
If you are tired of hiking tourist trails that are supposed to be an adventure and are definitely not, you might like to try a real adventure hike. This is said to be the most dangerous tourist route in the world.
Mount Huashan in China can have you dangling over a 2090 cliff face and there is no safety barrier!
Mount Huashan located near Huayin City is a sacred mountain and is 2200m above sea level.
To reach the summit on foot you have to navigate along a trail of narrow footpaths and very steep staircases that have been cut into the mountain.
With cliffs on all sides the North Peak section of the trail is extremely exciting. Hikers manoeuvre across the cliff face by using a rusty chain and a 30cm wide wooden plank. This is followed by a 20m descent using another chain to help you get back on the trail.
Apparently there are approximately 100 deaths per year from those falling off the trail. Despite the obvious dangers hundreds of climbers a day make the hike.
The climb takes about 24 hours if you want to visit all five peaks on foot. There is a fairly new cable car but that is supposed to be even more frightening and dangerous than walking the trail.
When and if you ever get to the top the view is worth it. A breathtaking view of waterfalls, temples and ancient ruins.
For those of you looking for a real adventure, danger and excitement you might want to consider this real adventure hike up Mount Huashan.
SPRING FESTIVALS - CHINESE NEW YEAR
Despite the depressing weather at this time of the year, spring is not far away and to help you choose that well-earned break, Travel Advice takes a look at Spring Festivals around the World.
It will soon be time for the ancient festival of the Chinese New Year. Traditional celebrations for the Year of the Rat begin on 7 February 2008 ending with the Festival of Lanterns, 15 days later. Why not join the Chinese in Mainland China, Hong Kong or even the Chinese communities in New York or San Francisco and enjoy the colourful celebrations.
Before the New Year, Chinese families clean their homes to sweep away the bad luck of the previous year but making sure that the brooms and dust pans are put away on the first day so that good luck remains.
Families hold a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, eating certain traditional foods to usher in wealth, happiness and good fortune with married couples giving small red packets to the unmarried and the children. These packets containing money signify luck and honorability. Red clothing is commonly worn throughout the celebrations believing it will scare away evil spirits and bad fortune. Some families will invite a traditional Lion Dance Troupe to evict bad spirits from the home. Sadly, the fireworks are now banned due to safety and security issues in many cities. New York did allow firecrackers in 2007.
Each of the 15 days of the Festival requires certain traditional activities. For instance, on the second day, married daughters visit their birth parents. Visiting the graves of deceased family members occurs on the third day and house visits are considered inappropriate. Celebrations end on Day 15 with the Lantern Festival when candles are lit outside houses to guide wayward spirits and families parade through the streets with lanterns.
Opening windows and doors is considered to bring in good luck. Switching on the lights for the night should scare away the ghosts and spirits of misfortune for the New Year. Wearing new slippers, bought before the New Year will step on the people who gossip about you. Bad luck - having a haircut or washing the hair (could destroy luck and prosperity) and avoid talking about death.
As the Chinese say – Gung hei faat choi or Kung hei fat choi. The celebrations in China and Hong Kong provide an exciting background to a fabulous Spring Break in those countries.
BEIJING FOR AN OLYMPIC HOLIDAY
The next summer Olympic games are being held in Beijing in 2008. If you are thinking of going I wouldn’t leave it much longer to book flights and hotels. A quick search and you will find hotels in all price ranges but for something approaching western standards I wouldn’t go below a three star. Their luxury hotels are lovely and certainly of the standard you would expect of 5 star hotels.
Apart from all the Olympic events most people will want to do some sight seeing while in China. Beijing is a huge city of 15 million plus people. However despite its size it is relatively easy to get around. There are plenty of buses and taxis and a new subway system should be completed in time for the Games.
Taxis are metered and fairly inexpensive. If however you notice the taxi you are about to enter doesn’t have a meter negotiate a price first. Buses are great, rather crowded but you can go for miles for a few cents. A great way to sightsee if you are lucky enough to get a seat, just travel the whole route and back again.
Must sees while you are there are of course the Great Wall of China. This is fantastic, a truly great experience. There are loads of junk souvenir sellers outside but if you look amongst the dross you can actually find some nice things to buy. Once on the wall you can take great photographs. Try to go very early in the morning to miss most of the tour buses so you can get some pictures of a fairly empty wall or take the harder uphill route there are fewer people on this section.
The Forbidden City is another place not to be missed. It is huge inside, well preserved and again a great photo opportunity.
The Temple of Heaven ( the largest sacrificial complex in the world), is quite beautiful and a little surreal. As you walk about the park area there is piped dance music coming from hidden speakers. In such an ancient place it does seem little odd. The temple is beautiful though. There is a market outside that is definitely worth exploring. There are a wide variety of stalls and some great antiques. These markets can be far better places to buy authentic Chinese souvenirs than some of the shops.
Tian’anmen Square is well known for all the wrong reasons but is an impressive square, the biggest in the world and worth a visit. You can also join the queue to see Mao’s body. Depending on when you visit there are frequent display and events held in the square.
Beijing has an abundance of temples, museums and sites of interest for the holiday maker. The ancient observatory is one worth seeing and the unusual police museum which is rather full of propaganda but definitely interesting. The very unusual underground city built in 1969 when thoughts of a nuclear war sent city planners underground is worth going to just to say you have been there. There are 90 hidden entrances on Qianmen’s main streets. There are hotels, restaurants and shops down there. Also worth looking at are the China National Museum and the China Art Museum both are interesting and if you have the time try to fit them in. There are literally dozens of places of interest so you won’t be short of things to do and places to go. There are photo opportunities around every corner.
To keep you fed and watered while doing all this sight seeing there are plenty of restaurants. The Hotels usually have at least one each and frequently more, the streets abound with them, many are well known names that you will be familiar with and there are hundreds of Chinese Restaurants. The Chinese food is not the same as you will have had in your home country. Here it is the real deal and is somewhat different in taste and style to the Americanised version we are all used to.
This brings to mind the toilet situation in Beijing. It is certainly better here than outside the city. However unless you use the ones in the hotels and better restaurants be prepared and take your own paper. Handy little packs of tissues are easiest to carry and I would suggest some wet wipes for your hands. When desperate I used what was referred to as “the stinky palace” I should have known not to enter when told the name but needs must. I went in, the smell was indescribable, it was filthy, there were just holes in the ground, no paper and no washing facilities. So be warned and go prepared.
If you have the time there is some great shopping in Beijing. We went to the Cloisonne factory and watched the items being made then we went into the factory shop to buy a couple of pieces. It is a great city to buy antiques, gold, silk, lovely embroidered table linens and jade and pearl jewelry. They have lovely ceramics and pieces of original art work can be quite inexpensive. There are the usual shopping malls and small shops too. My favourite places to shop were the street markets. Literally on the street, many “stalls” were just a mat laid on the sidewalk but the offerings are worth looking at. Two of my favourite antique pieces were found this way. So you may look at a lot of tat but there are also some lovely pieces to be found. Also artists are sometimes found at these markets producing original work for very low prices. So if you are a shopaholic don’t worry there will be more opportunities than you will be able to fit into the usual two week vacation.
If you are going to see the Olympics, enjoy yourself and the events, if you are just going to Beijing for a holiday I am sure you will have a great time. For the summer tourist the weather is very hot, humid and usually sunny, if you prefer sunny but cooler weather the autumn is best. The winters are great. Very cold and dry. The time to avoid in my opinion is spring. This is the time of year you are liable to get “yellow storms”, dust from the Gobi desert.
My last word of advice on Beijing is dress comfortably and wear the most comfortable shoes you have. This city is huge and you can walk for miles at any one of the places of interest above. Have a great holiday and enjoy your trip to China and the Beijing Olympics.
