Shout backs

> - StiCkmAn - : haha! what other words can I described it? bald-head/semi-bald? No sweat.. I always wanted to clear the photos to the people I've taken them.. ^^ that night was fun BBQing with you funny 3 guys! And then.. drinking on the cruise.. KL's room.. that reminds me of the video! hahaha.. Anyway looking forward for thursday, we shall catch up real soon! meanwhile, have wild fun and best to you in the upcoming CT! ^^ Oh ya, hope that you got good grades for your semestral exam eh? Ok, hear from you soon.

>c0w: yeah buddy.. it's soo coincidence we're touching down singapore on the same date! ^^ hmm.. for now I think there're so much yet to explore in here and about Singapore, of course I missed it, especially the toilets! the toilets here are ............ extreme.. haha! too bad my camera could capture the stench of the toilet ya? :S *nonsense* ah, yes.. not so much for now missing Singapore.. but more on missing catching up with you and the rest, and family. Looking at your blog just makes my stomach wanting for more! :D Can I takeaway an quadruple burger to Singapore on Oct 6th? Anyway, saw any KrispyKreme Doughnuts? haha! Ok.. hear from you real soon.. meanwhile, enjoy your stay in aus. with your baby!

>bro: hannah hannah! I posted up liao la.. haha! ..... come back home i use the toilet and sound record down myself doing small business then let u listen to waterfall la.. =x anyway, sibei sian during weekdays.. maybe I want to go explore more liao, after looking at friend's cam. on the other campus zone. hehe! So how bro? missed hong kong anot? hope to hear from your shopping madness.. until then, take care of yourself and family! and your lady, man! btw, chris brown - forever, is nice.. listened to 987 few days back.. ^^

>cyn: nyc (New York City)! hahaha.. just some random craziness. yeah.. it's one of the biggest project of China! It looks cool eh. I had a good time taking pictures there.. Aiya, weekdays I'm in the campus and only able to take campus in-out pictures. Only weekends, I'll be out to tour around Hubei! So yeah, here you go.. is the pictures nice? Anyway next week I'll be going to Wudang mountain.. :D So, how's ur there? Got back your results yet? Until then, you have fun in your week ahead! Anyway, I shall bring back my grass shoe to "dei" your spartan shoes!

>KIAHUI: ah, cooling not for today! HOT... the sun is like 1pm in Sentosa for today. I think i'm going to be chao ta already. haha! oh yeah basketball, did u join it in NYP anyway or any other CCA? What jobs u're working as part time eh? btw, how's your semestral grades? playing all day long.. shall hear about your grades real soon! meanwhile have fun! ^^

>aziz: haha! my haircut was not bad la.. just that it's a little too short only. :P aww, anyway the voucher has a long lifespan, so no worries.. let farz have a happy toothache.. heh =x So ya been having good food lately? cool! looking forward in taking u down in the field soon.. haha! anyway is there news on the rugby tees? oh ya, the comp. you guys attended the meeting? Hope that everything's going smoothly.. if there's anything I can be useful enough, please nudge me! haha. Ok... it's kinda late already... hope to hear from you real soon! Btw, I glanced by your blog and saw your gpa.. hmm, I think it's good eh! I hope it's what you've aimed initially! ^^ Congrats!

3.05 & 3.06 Happy Cruising

Sorry, I was in cruise with no internet connection, so I can't update my blog. Anyway, I'm back from the nice cruise.. Although the cruise I stayed in is an 2 star one, it was fun though.

12th Sept 2008 Friday

Exciting weekends ahead from today! This weekend, we’re going to various places of interest in Hubei province.

Highlights of the weekends:

1. Visitation to the site of Three-Gorges Dam Hydroelectric Project
2. Board cruise @ Yichang City

Got up the coach from 8am onwards, all the way to 230pm with intervals of break in between, and we had lunch @ one of the restaurants in Yichang City.

buildings along Yichang City (looks like S'pore HDB)/dian ma mu 电麻木

shops along the street/upstairs of it (watch out, it's abit explicit)

After lunch, we went to visit the site of the Three Gorges Dam. Below is a brief description of the site I received from teacher’s document.

The Three Gorges (三峡) region is a scenic area along the Yangtze River in China. The three gorges are: Qutang Gorge (瞿塘峡, from Baidicheng to Daxi, 8 km), Wu Gorge (巫峡, from Wushan to Badong, 45 km), Xiling Gorge (西陵峡, from Zigui to Yichang, 66 km).

The Three Gorges Dam (长江三峡大坝) is a hydroelectric river dam that spans the Yangtze River at Sandouping (三斗坪) in the middle of the Xiling Gorge. It is the largest hydro-electric power station in the world. The dam was completed in the summer of 2006, and the water level in the Qutang, Wuxia, and the western portion of the Xiling Gorges has already begun to rise. The dam would change the scenery of the Three Gorges. Because the water level will be higher, the river will be wider and the mountains will appear lower.

our tourguide of the day/right behind the three gorges dam

model of the entire project (fully completed with elevators by 2010)
picture above: the right lane which is the upstream river, there're 2 way split.
One of it transport ship weighs higher than 3,000 tonnes (right side, they called it the 五级). And the other lane is only for ships weighs up to 3,000 tonnes.

down stream (front view)

downstream (rear view)

Some fun pictures at one of the scenic area of the Three Gorges Dam:

me & guanbin on one of the statue/one of 长江大桥




Some funny signboards:

Just before we head to the pier, we had a fulfilling dinner @ one of the restaurants in Yichang.

Then we boarded our cruise called by the name Princess 贵妃 and we cruise from Zigui to Badong.

13th Sept 2008 Saturday

Last night sleep, I didn’t really catch a wink and I woke up feeling drained. Anyway, when we woke up, we’ve reached Badong 巴东 from Zigui.

middle right {the cruise journey to our first destination}

After breakfast, we boarded another smaller ship and headed to another place of interest. On the way to the place of interest along Yangtze River, I noticed an array of beautiful scenic landscapes and took some of it. The breeze is so cool and refreshing. Standing at the outer decks of the ship, I feel so relax and calm by the semi-still clear waters. Amazingly, the life in the outskirts of Yangtze River remains peaceful.

Housing along the river:

Boaters:

Upon reaching to another pier (picture on the right), I then came to know that we’re going drifting along the river! To my surprise, 10+ of us are going board the sampan-like boat and being driven by man strength (about 5-6 people). The cost of these Sampan-like boats is about 6,000 RMB if it’s bought from commercial. However these people consult the specialists in their villages to build the boats for them instead, which cost lesser than 6,000 RMB I supposed.

initially at calm current, they row. going against current, they pull. (pictures below) what's more is that we're going upstream.


Green Tea cultivation:

Giant Salamander {Wawa Yu 娃娃鱼}

Because of the wails of this fish in the river, the villagers then name it as 娃娃鱼. *Looks cute yeah?

lunch

Something interesting I heard from the tour guide: These fit men called “伙计” are really something. They lived in small houses in the mountains and early in the morning about 3-4am, they would wake up and ride on their boat to the pier to wait for people like us to tour around the river. Looking at their bodyline, I assumed that they are really the tough men who went through the hardship and what’s more, living with the nature – water & vegetation, their health should be as strong as an ox!

In the period of mid September, the water level would normally rise up to 175m. However, today when we drifted along the river, the water level was about 135m.

As the water flowed from the top of the mountain, it is used as an important water source for the villagers who stayed in the mountainous areas. To that, I heard that the villagers has very nice skin complexion because of the pure water.

Most of their equipments’ materials used are made of bamboo.

After lunch, we went back to our bunk to take a rest and in between, there’re some activities where we gather up to the deck and view to the mountainous areas along Wu Xia Jing Qu 巫峡景区.

signify a frog



promphet fish at the right lower mountain

Dinner was good but lunch was certainly better.


Straight after dinner, we visited Bai Di Cheng 白帝城 (a temple), which is our final place of interest for the day. Surprisingly, I thought it’s going to be an easy trip up, but in the end, we’ve to climb a long flight of stairs!

a tourist getting a lift up the flight of stairs

a scene of liubei and 2 of his sons kneeling down

a souvenir I bought in the store.

Reflection along the mountains:

While drifting along the Yangtze River in a sampan-like boat, I admire the several 伙计whom steer the boat along the river and at a point they pull the entire boat of 10+ppl, using bamboo ropes only. By their strong and hasty movements of the boats, I feel that their endurance level is very high. What’s more, they are very persistent and competent when the other boats overtook them, they would do their best to undercut instead. Apart from the boating lifestyle they cultivate over there, I came to know that they do trading of the cultivation of crops as well, or even selling to outside markets to earn money. Their lifestyle is very simple and peaceful. Most probably, they don’t live on computers & internet. Looking at their simplicity and nature habitat lifestyle, I feel that it is very healthy and meaningful. If given to me a chance to experience a lifestyle there, I would love to try.

take care all! God Bless.

jac