B
ack on the ferry, we all kicked back to enjoy the view and each other's company.Jan, Jackie, Mairead, Trevor and Madeline
Robbie, Bernd, Jenny and Dean
We arrived back at the “Mother Boat” at around 11:30a – just in time for lunch. :-)
After lunch, it was free time for us. I wanted to find a quiet, cool spot to fire up my laptop, organize my photos and write up sections of the blog. Turned out the only room that met all the criteria was the bar and so that’s where I ended up. I found a seat that had a view out the front of the boat and settled in. The waitress came by to try and tell me something and I repeatedly told her that I didn’t understand her. She left and then a short while later, she returned with Jenny in tow. Jenny explained that I needed to buy a drink if I was to stay in the bar and so I did. On a boat where every room is too hot for my comfort level, the price of a drink was a small fee to pay for a bit of cool.
Jenny had told us that we would be passing the Wu Gorge around 2p. The Wu Gorge is suppose to be the most scenic of the three gorges so I really wanted see it I but I was so wrapped up in writing the blog that I lost track of time and before I knew it, it was nearly 4p! So much for the Wu Gorge. :-(
Soon, Madeline joined me and then came Mairead, Bernd, Dean and Jan.
Jenny reminded us that we would be passing the Qutang Gorge at 5p. I was not going to miss this so I kept pestering Jan for the time. Shortly before 5p, I headed to the deck to wait for the boat to pass through the Qutang Gorge and to take more photos. It was still hot, humid and hazy. I'm beginning to think that this part of China is just one ginormous sauna :-(
Temple hugging the hillside.
Chinese writing engraved into the hillside.
We passed many a boat transporting goods and food.
And towns...newly erected by the Chinese government primarily to house people who were displaced when their lands were flooded as a result of the construction of the Three Gorges Dam.
Through the haze, the karst landscape was still a vision of natural beauty.
The Qutang Gorge is famous mainly because one of its most picturesque sections is depicted on the reverse side of the 10 RMB bill. When we arrived at that section, Jenny pointed it out. Photo op! Then back inside into the air conditioned boat. :-(
