September 11, 2010 – Day 29
I awoke at 2:30 A.M. and saw the boat leaving the 5th & final dock. Total descent going through the 5 locks was 300 feet. After breakfast we departed for a bus tour of the Three Gorges Dam site. The dam is 1.3 miles wide and 610 feet tall, China’s largest construction project since the Great Wall. Starting 1994 the project took 15 years at a cost of $30 billion. The water has level above the dam has raised 110 meters (361 feet) which has covered many villages. The government has built many new homes, etc. to accommodate citizens without homes. In the afternoon the ship sailed through the Xiling Gorge, the largest of the Yangtze River Gorges zigzags for 47 miles. Shortly after the boat went through the big dam’s (in the middle of the Xiling Gorge) lock with 4 other boats. Late afternoon Mahjong lessons were conducted. The game seemed more difficult to learn than bridge. Then we watched the film the boat’s cameraman is making to sale. After very good company & dinner the evening was capped off with several members of the boat’s staff performing a variety show. The show was far better than the Peking Opera back in Beijing. It was a party night during & after the performance which included dancing & good social.