Three Gorges Day 1 - 10.26
We woke with a start as the deckmaster rained his obscenities upon our squalid pallets. Before we could rub the sleep from our eyes, we were dragged onto deck with a mile-long work list. There were riggings to be oiled, decks to be scrubbed, sails to be mended and meals to be cooked. The north winds had started again, piercing our tattered clothing like ice-runed knives. My feet were bare and still swollen from last night's grueling work. But alas it was no time to tarry, for the first mate's hawk eyes were upon us. One little slipup was all the excuse he needs to whip out his cats and call a flogging. Poor Timmy's still recovering in the quarterdeck. Or so we hope, if the bloody sailors hadn't gotten to him yet... bugger all them bastards. At least I hadn't seen the sight of the Captain yet. Word was he be the cruelest bastard of all the British fleets. With them working us to the bones, we've gnarly an ounce of energy left to plot any escape. Oh when will this hell end...
Ok ok, here's the real Yangtze cruise experience.
Our boat arrived at Feng Du sometime at night, moored at the dock 3 ships deep. At first light a mass exodus made way for land. Metal and wood planks creaked above brown muddy water. At the top of the concrete steps, local vendors hawked lukewarm breakfast and other snacks, but not many takers. Most people just had breakfast when they woke. Mine consisted of a milk box and 6 mini spongy cakes, then a couple of toasted rice cakes that was supposed to be Chongqing's specialty. It was just the same as any other rice cake.
Fog shrouded both banks of the Chang Jiang, not yet felt the heat of morning sun. The side we are on, old Feng Du, was to be flooded upon 2009. Manual demolition was going on at a handful of empty concrete apartment buildings. Ahead, a long ramp lead to the mountains where the scenic area was located. That will be spared the waters. Most of the local population had moved across the river to bigger higher grounds.
We were allotted 3 hours for this stop. In actuality it was 2, for debarkation of 3 ships took well nigh an hour. Well, we didn't even need 2. This site was crap. Basically there were a few temples and pavilions from fairly old days, to which they added some new structures (i'm sure), some statues, filled out a route storyline based on the chinese folklore reincarnation story, and called it a tourist destination. Then, to add more insult, they built a new compound on an adjoining hill and put an absolutely retarded haunted house/ride inside.
China has caught the development bug. Well duh. All the tour group guides will say oh how much of your yuan is going towards the local development and westernization and new construction etc etc. They don't just "have" a tourist destination, they renovate and expand with little consideration for conservation, or in some cases, just "develop" brand new sites. Then somehow those make it onto every tour group's itineraries. I wanted to see the old, the authentic, the real deal. Restoration are often necessary but preservation of the spirit of the old is an art seldom practiced properly.
By far the highlight of this stop was the snacks. Yes I had a shitload of food already on the boat. But I was starving by 9 and too much of a sucker for street food. There were old ladies sitting road side making fresh wontons. Fruit vendors with more pommelos and oranges, and grapes even. I took back a cold soft stick of You Tiao (fried bread stick), a salted duck egg from Tu Ya (local mud duck, best I could make out from the dialect), and a steaming bow of Tofu Hua, loaded with chives, preserved vegies, soy sauce, hot chili oil and crispy yellow beans. The luscious silkiness of the tofu blended the bite of the salty and spicy condiments, and with bites of You Tiao mixed in, I had my own little piece of nirvana on the boat deck. Shouldn't have listened to all the people and bought all that food in Chongqing! They said street foods are dirty and nasty. Bah!
The ship floated on. The water here were wide and gentle. The mostly-habituated banks were masked in light fog. I ate again at 11. Figured if I had the appetite, I had a duty to keep myself full at all times to maximize food intake. The leftover wontons and vegies went down nicely with the surprisingly bland duck egg.
At two, our ship docked again, this time at Shi Bao Zhai, a taoist temple/tower. Somehow the entrance fee was not included again in the tour, so most people stayed on the ship. SBZ was basically a wooden structure built 2000 years ago perched on a big ass piece of rock. Each floor had nothing more than round holes for window and enough room to fit a dozen standing people. The stair steps were almost 3 feet high, and the top floor was only reached by a metal ladder hanging off a square hole on the ceiling. Amazingly all the old folks were huffing puffing their way up with determination. The view wasn't much to write about due to the fog. But it was fun going up such a Xiao Qiao Ling Long (small and cute) tower.
On the return way an old man was selling bowls of sweet rice wine, and another lady stirring a huge pan of round potatoes. Of course I got both. Loved the rice wine, hope it doesn't make me sick tonight. The potatoes were interesting, they were about ping pong ball size and looked about that big naturally. Crunchy/chewy outside and silky soft inside, spiced with chilis. Never had that before, probably not again (but actually saw many more of that in the next few days). Also got a set of chinese print purses while running the "gauntlet", perhaps KW will like them. Some vendors wanted 25, some 15, some started off at 10.
Did I mention how I loved cruises?! Even without onboard 24 hour buffet (in fact food was not even included in this tour), I have already eaten 4 times today and it is only 3:30pm.
I should also explain more about the room. I got first class cabin, 2 beds, a desk, ensuite hot shower and sitdown toilet, with a private window looking out the stern side. Some of the second classes rooms are the same sized with double bunk beds but only squat toilet and a wash basin. Other rooms had 6 or 8 people and some no washroom at all. Third class had these square portholes for window that opened onto the walkway. I believe the price difference in the tour package for 1st and 2nd class is about 150-200Y. The hot water availability was spotty at best. Best I could figure out it was available pre breakfast and dinner, then before bed. And there was only 1 pipe that go into the shower, so when hot water was on, it was just hot. Sometimes scalding. And the drainage only worked properly on the first day. And the water? "Filtered" from the river water. Just don't collect a basin of the water and look at it closely.
I watched the ship undock from the bow. First a flurry of activities set off all about the boat as crew counted people and shouted out missings, riggings were reigned in, anchors lifted, the brown liquid churned behind the ship. Very quickly we pushed off from the neighboring ship, and the river winds were upon us. The sound of the bow riding upon the water was like the flurry of a gown of silk. With a hard starboard turn we sailed on towards the mystic, misty east. The deep blare of our horn stirred that old dream inside me again; to sail the waters of the world, to cruise the calm rivers and battle the rough seas, to see all the ports of call big and small, and chart little islets on the edge of maps. Like Cook, or Columbus.. No not Columbus, Cook! And, others.
At night fall, we made a surprising stop at Zhang Fei temple. The original tour plan called for either Shi Bao Zhai or Zhang Fei temple. Well at least this was one change that benefitted us. I made use of my rain coat set to ward off the light drizzle. At this site the street vendors were selling Chang Jiang seafood, tiny shrimps and 3 inch long fishes, and palm-sized crabs, all deep fried. Many road side restaurants lined the way. Dishes of fresh vegies and herbs were displayed outside, free for the picking of prospective diners. Other stalls arrayed their "antiques" on long tables, daggers and arrows, bows and cups, calligraphy apparatus, books yellow with "age".
As always, the actual temple was located up many flights of stairs. Zhang Fei, a famous warrior and state officer in the Three Kingdom era, was immortalized in the novel San Guo Yan Yi (Romance of the Three Kingdom) for his extraordinary bravery, combat skills, and loyalty. Apparently he was also an avid calligrapher. The temple showcased mostly stone tablets of ancient calligraphy related to Zhang Fei one way or another. Beautiful as they were, my understanding of them were limited at best.
I did try this snack called Zhang Fei Beef. First saw those in CD. Even if it had absolutely nothing to do with Zhang Fei, I aughtta try it just for the name sake. It wasn't a jerky, more like a moist cooked piece of beef vacu-packed, much like the currently popular duct wings and tongs and chicken feet, etc. Not all that great.
The ship moored at ZF temple. I was told it wouldn't start moving until midnight, and there were no hot water (or shower drainage for that matter) if the boat wasn't moving. Some first class cruise.
You Tiao 1Y. Duck egg 2Y. Tofu Hua 1.5Y. Shi Bao Zhai 20Y. Rice wine 2Y. Potatoes 2Y. Set of 5 purses in purple chinese print 10Y.
Ok ok, here's the real Yangtze cruise experience.
Our boat arrived at Feng Du sometime at night, moored at the dock 3 ships deep. At first light a mass exodus made way for land. Metal and wood planks creaked above brown muddy water. At the top of the concrete steps, local vendors hawked lukewarm breakfast and other snacks, but not many takers. Most people just had breakfast when they woke. Mine consisted of a milk box and 6 mini spongy cakes, then a couple of toasted rice cakes that was supposed to be Chongqing's specialty. It was just the same as any other rice cake.
Fog shrouded both banks of the Chang Jiang, not yet felt the heat of morning sun. The side we are on, old Feng Du, was to be flooded upon 2009. Manual demolition was going on at a handful of empty concrete apartment buildings. Ahead, a long ramp lead to the mountains where the scenic area was located. That will be spared the waters. Most of the local population had moved across the river to bigger higher grounds.
We were allotted 3 hours for this stop. In actuality it was 2, for debarkation of 3 ships took well nigh an hour. Well, we didn't even need 2. This site was crap. Basically there were a few temples and pavilions from fairly old days, to which they added some new structures (i'm sure), some statues, filled out a route storyline based on the chinese folklore reincarnation story, and called it a tourist destination. Then, to add more insult, they built a new compound on an adjoining hill and put an absolutely retarded haunted house/ride inside.
 New dike to protect the tourists |  A top ghost in the underworld |
 Heng Ha Temple |  |
China has caught the development bug. Well duh. All the tour group guides will say oh how much of your yuan is going towards the local development and westernization and new construction etc etc. They don't just "have" a tourist destination, they renovate and expand with little consideration for conservation, or in some cases, just "develop" brand new sites. Then somehow those make it onto every tour group's itineraries. I wanted to see the old, the authentic, the real deal. Restoration are often necessary but preservation of the spirit of the old is an art seldom practiced properly.
By far the highlight of this stop was the snacks. Yes I had a shitload of food already on the boat. But I was starving by 9 and too much of a sucker for street food. There were old ladies sitting road side making fresh wontons. Fruit vendors with more pommelos and oranges, and grapes even. I took back a cold soft stick of You Tiao (fried bread stick), a salted duck egg from Tu Ya (local mud duck, best I could make out from the dialect), and a steaming bow of Tofu Hua, loaded with chives, preserved vegies, soy sauce, hot chili oil and crispy yellow beans. The luscious silkiness of the tofu blended the bite of the salty and spicy condiments, and with bites of You Tiao mixed in, I had my own little piece of nirvana on the boat deck. Shouldn't have listened to all the people and bought all that food in Chongqing! They said street foods are dirty and nasty. Bah!
 Uber Yum |  Wa Wa Fish - a fish that can make baby crying sounds |
The ship floated on. The water here were wide and gentle. The mostly-habituated banks were masked in light fog. I ate again at 11. Figured if I had the appetite, I had a duty to keep myself full at all times to maximize food intake. The leftover wontons and vegies went down nicely with the surprisingly bland duck egg.
At two, our ship docked again, this time at Shi Bao Zhai, a taoist temple/tower. Somehow the entrance fee was not included again in the tour, so most people stayed on the ship. SBZ was basically a wooden structure built 2000 years ago perched on a big ass piece of rock. Each floor had nothing more than round holes for window and enough room to fit a dozen standing people. The stair steps were almost 3 feet high, and the top floor was only reached by a metal ladder hanging off a square hole on the ceiling. Amazingly all the old folks were huffing puffing their way up with determination. The view wasn't much to write about due to the fog. But it was fun going up such a Xiao Qiao Ling Long (small and cute) tower.
 |  Tower roof adornment |
On the return way an old man was selling bowls of sweet rice wine, and another lady stirring a huge pan of round potatoes. Of course I got both. Loved the rice wine, hope it doesn't make me sick tonight. The potatoes were interesting, they were about ping pong ball size and looked about that big naturally. Crunchy/chewy outside and silky soft inside, spiced with chilis. Never had that before, probably not again (but actually saw many more of that in the next few days). Also got a set of chinese print purses while running the "gauntlet", perhaps KW will like them. Some vendors wanted 25, some 15, some started off at 10.
Did I mention how I loved cruises?! Even without onboard 24 hour buffet (in fact food was not even included in this tour), I have already eaten 4 times today and it is only 3:30pm.
I should also explain more about the room. I got first class cabin, 2 beds, a desk, ensuite hot shower and sitdown toilet, with a private window looking out the stern side. Some of the second classes rooms are the same sized with double bunk beds but only squat toilet and a wash basin. Other rooms had 6 or 8 people and some no washroom at all. Third class had these square portholes for window that opened onto the walkway. I believe the price difference in the tour package for 1st and 2nd class is about 150-200Y. The hot water availability was spotty at best. Best I could figure out it was available pre breakfast and dinner, then before bed. And there was only 1 pipe that go into the shower, so when hot water was on, it was just hot. Sometimes scalding. And the drainage only worked properly on the first day. And the water? "Filtered" from the river water. Just don't collect a basin of the water and look at it closely.
 Steerage Accommodation |  Ship Life |
 Kitchen |  Don't mess with him |
I watched the ship undock from the bow. First a flurry of activities set off all about the boat as crew counted people and shouted out missings, riggings were reigned in, anchors lifted, the brown liquid churned behind the ship. Very quickly we pushed off from the neighboring ship, and the river winds were upon us. The sound of the bow riding upon the water was like the flurry of a gown of silk. With a hard starboard turn we sailed on towards the mystic, misty east. The deep blare of our horn stirred that old dream inside me again; to sail the waters of the world, to cruise the calm rivers and battle the rough seas, to see all the ports of call big and small, and chart little islets on the edge of maps. Like Cook, or Columbus.. No not Columbus, Cook! And, others.
 Small boat |  Big boat |
At night fall, we made a surprising stop at Zhang Fei temple. The original tour plan called for either Shi Bao Zhai or Zhang Fei temple. Well at least this was one change that benefitted us. I made use of my rain coat set to ward off the light drizzle. At this site the street vendors were selling Chang Jiang seafood, tiny shrimps and 3 inch long fishes, and palm-sized crabs, all deep fried. Many road side restaurants lined the way. Dishes of fresh vegies and herbs were displayed outside, free for the picking of prospective diners. Other stalls arrayed their "antiques" on long tables, daggers and arrows, bows and cups, calligraphy apparatus, books yellow with "age".
As always, the actual temple was located up many flights of stairs. Zhang Fei, a famous warrior and state officer in the Three Kingdom era, was immortalized in the novel San Guo Yan Yi (Romance of the Three Kingdom) for his extraordinary bravery, combat skills, and loyalty. Apparently he was also an avid calligrapher. The temple showcased mostly stone tablets of ancient calligraphy related to Zhang Fei one way or another. Beautiful as they were, my understanding of them were limited at best.
I did try this snack called Zhang Fei Beef. First saw those in CD. Even if it had absolutely nothing to do with Zhang Fei, I aughtta try it just for the name sake. It wasn't a jerky, more like a moist cooked piece of beef vacu-packed, much like the currently popular duct wings and tongs and chicken feet, etc. Not all that great.
The ship moored at ZF temple. I was told it wouldn't start moving until midnight, and there were no hot water (or shower drainage for that matter) if the boat wasn't moving. Some first class cruise.
You Tiao 1Y. Duck egg 2Y. Tofu Hua 1.5Y. Shi Bao Zhai 20Y. Rice wine 2Y. Potatoes 2Y. Set of 5 purses in purple chinese print 10Y.
posted by Billy at
perm link
1 comments:
oh... that's what 'wawayu' is.... i do'nt think i ever knew that... when'd u learn that?? and what's that 'tickle tree' called?? (on the grounds of our elementary school... before they rebuilt everything)
by
munkee, at 11:16 AM
Post a Comment
<< home