OAT Day 2-13 - Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - Explore Fengdu -Visit Relocated Families - Yangtze Cruise, China
All: please change the Google map to 'Hybrid' – You will be able to see the immensity of the city of Chongqing, China on the Yangtze River.
We had docked in Feng Du about 2:00AM for the remainder of the night. We passed many small towns and a few large cities during the evening. Waking up at 7:00 we could see even more coal barges and traffic on the river.
After breakfast we left the ship at 8:30 for a tour of the old city of Feng Du, the Ghost City! Our driver Mr. Qui took us on a 20 minute drive up into the hillside to a relocation village called Hong Yan.
Matt explained that with all of the government construction in the last 15 years in China, building and concrete prices have sky-rocketed. Over 40% of the world’s total concrete was used here on the dam, reconstruction of bridges, and relocation sites. This inflated the price of concrete and building materials world wide!
As we drove along the road we saw small plots of corn, peanuts, and many rice paddies on the terraced hillsides. We made several quick stops to take photos.
How lucky we were to be able to experience this traditional China that is quickly disappearing. Seeing the farmers planting rice and also plowing with the water buffalo was truly memorable.
We got out of our bus in Hong Yan and walked through the neighborhoods meeting many people, especially mothers or grandparents with children on their backs in wicker baskets. We stopped at a school and had a brief unscheduled visit to see the children.
Continuing our walk we went into a store and then climbed the stairs to visit the home of Mrs. Chang who is 74 years old. She had lived in a very poor farm village in a home with electricity but no plumbing.
Now she lives with her son and his wife and her grandson in this new home. The small convenience store is on the street floor, there were pigs in the basement, and their living quarters were on the top floor.
As Matt translated, we were able to ask many questions. We asked what the hardest part of her life had been and she answered, “The Big Leap Forward”. Matt told us he would give us more information about that later….
Mrs. Chang was very explicit in her answers, she was of middle class wealth, had visited Beijing and other cities, had a computer for her grandson, and three color TVs in their home. The house was well furnished in a modest way and very clean.
She told us that before 1949 the feudal society system was very difficult for women. All of her four children were born on the farm with the help of a midwife.
There were eight people in her family when they had to relocate because of the Three Gorges Project. The government gave each of them 20,000 Yuan as displacement compensation. This house cost 320,000 Yuan so they got a loan, borrowed money from other families and now they have it all paid back.
We were free to look around her home and to see her garden and then to go to the basement to see the pigs. Surprisingly to many, they were totally clean - pure white hair. Matt bought some fireworks in the store in honor of our great adventure and Mrs. Chang’s son shot them off for us.
Our next stop was in the old city of Feng Du, the Ghost City. Because of the dam project, a new city has been built on the other bank of the River.
We had 30 minutes to walk around the market streets. Most of the people here were very inquisitive about seeing us as they have not had an opportunity to see many Westerners.
Back at the ship, the captain continued our journey up the Yangtze River. We had lunch at noon and then at 1:30 PM we went to the bridge for a tour of the Pilot House.
Daniel explained that there were three officers on duty at all times. There is no autopilot, but they do have a GPS system. The ship travels at 12 knots per hour upstream.
There is a radar system but if the weather is too foggy, they drop the anchor and wait for better weather. Because this is a river boat the bottom of the boat is almost flat. There is only a 9 foot draft in order to navigate shallow segments of the river.
The ship has two diesel engines with the capacity of 1000 horsepower each. There are 12 engineers responsible for the maintenance of the engines.
At 4:00 PM we met with Matt and our whole OAT group for an hour’s discussion of some of China’s controversial issues. He explained the five autonomous regions of China, one being Tibet.
He described the Buddhist beliefs and the merits earned determining the level of your next life. Going to Lhasa to visit the sacred monastery is considered an act of supreme devotion and dedication.
We also discussed governmental corruption, prostitution, drug problems, HIV, homosexuality, and politics with North and South Korea as well as Japan.
Dinner was at 7:00, a very special farewell banquet with the Captain was the highlight of the evening. We will leave the ship tomorrow so we went back to our room to pack and be prepared for our departure after breakfast.
Accommodations: Victoria Rose - - - Meal: B, L, D
Picture 1 - Water Buffalo in the Rice Paddies
Picture 2 - Mrs. Chang
Picture 3 - Pink Pigs in the Basement
Picture 4 - Street Market at Ghost City
Picture 5 - Victoria Rose Bridge
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Good work; people in Athens, Ohio, are following our progress very closely.
This has been my favorite to date! How fascinating to see their lives and talk to these people. I will be interested to hear the story of the "Great Leap Forward" upon your return.
Post a Comment!I wonder what you meant by "The Big Leap Forward" -- you never explained that so maybe in your next journal?
Day 13 - Saturday, April 22, 2022 - Depart for U.S.
The hotel prepared a box breakfast for us as we had to be in the lobby way before the breakfast room was open.
Last night we found out that our departure flight back to...