We sure aren't on Royal Caribbean, but we were pleasantly surprised to see our river cruise ship when we arrived in Yichang. We've got our own private balcony from our room. Our tour group has a private dining room for our meals. And, the ship has a small game room, lounge, and spa on the upper deck for its guests.
As we cruise through the Three Gorges, we've taken in some beautiful China scenery along the way. Our days on the river have been hazy, hot, and humid (almost 100 degrees) with lots of overcast skies.
One interesting feature of the Yangtze River is how the Chinese control the height of the water. To prevent flooding, the water level is lowered in the summer during rainy season, and then raised gradually in the winter. This is controlled by the Three Gorges Dam. You can see how high the water level gets by looking at the walls along the gorge. At this time of year, they lower the water level by 25meters - which is measured at various points along the river.
Also, all along the river banks you can spot Chinese fishermen. They will be sporting large fishing nets that they drag through the water in hopes of snagging their next meal. Every morning I sit out on the balcony and look through my camera, hoping to snap a picture of a successful catch. No luck yet....to be continued!
