Three Gorges Dam to Wuhan

The Viking Emerald arrived at the ship locks of the Three Gorges Dam at 9pm and a deck party ensued as we gathered for the 3 1/2 hour process of navigating four downward locks. As the huge metal doors opened I felt like I'd entered a Science Fiction movie. The tightness of the concrete walls, with the futuristic doors labeled with Chinese characters appeared other-worldly.  The dam is not the longest or the highest dam in the world but it is the biggest. At 1.3miles wide and 610 feet tall it is China's largest construction project since the Great Wall. The dam has been under construction for 18 years (the primary stated purpose being flood control and the secondary power generation) and when it is completed next year the water in the Yangtze will have risen over 350 feet and displaced more than one million people. Many of the displaced have used their government compensation to purchase newly built apartments. A couple of our local guides joyfully expressed satisfaction with their new accommodations. At times I wonder if our guides are simply painting the best face for China when they discuss their situations, but I do believe they are happier with electricity and non-communal toilets.

As we continued our journey to Wuhan we docked for the night in Jingzhou. This countryside along the Yangtze is flat farmland with occasional "villages" which look more like small cities me. Some of our very talented crew performed a cabaret show for us as, coincidentally, fireworks lit the sky in celebration of Communist Day. (Our waitress Joly was the choreographer and a principle dancer and Ray, our cabin steward performed a Michael Jackson inspired solo dance.) Before we departed Jingzhou we had the opportunity to visit a local school where we exchanged songs and smiles. It was a highlight of our trip.

Our Yangtze River cruise disembarked in Wuhan, a medium-sized city of 8.5 million. Before boarding our flight for Shanghai we made a stop at the Hubei Provincial Museum to see its amazing collection from the tomb of Nobleman Yi of Zeng which was discovered in 1978, complete with amazing 2500 year old artifacts made of bronze, gold, lacquer, jade and other precious materials. The prized piece is the bronze two-tone bells which were performed for us.