Today’s excursion was a visit to the Yueyang Tower. This was an interesting but hardly significant tour -- the park is very pretty and the three-story tower nice, but it was, in the end, just another old tower. I haven’t gotten the differences between towers and pagodas and temples and such into my brain -- guess I’ll have to do that when I have a minute -- or longer. At the tower we visited the tea room for silver needle tea. Much ado . . .
Lots of school kids of junior/senior high age in school uniforms swarmed over the park. The mayor was expected, as well, though we left before his arrival. We were all surprised that these field trips were taking place on a Saturday and have no insight into whether they were optional or required. The kids were enjoying themselves and many pictures were taken on both sides. Oh yes, there were groups of cute younger students, as well -- cub scout age boys, etc.
I’m sounding negative, but the continued emphasis on superstition, good luck issues, lucky numbers and dates does wear a bit on my western pragmatism.
Day 12 -- March 27
Wuhan
Our 9 a.m. departure today led to the Hubei Provincial History Museum. Since it is Sunday, the museum grounds were swarming with people out for an early spring holiday. The usual chaotic traffic and macho jockeying for position as cars and buses plied the too-narrow streets continued in spades. Nose-to-nose buses refused to give ground -- and one can almost see why, as there is no gracious way to let another pass. The usual rule of cars and buses in ascendance prevails -- pedestrians are targets, horns assert right of way. And the rules of the road vary from city to city just as they do in the US.
In the afternoon we went on a walking tour of Wuhan. People watching was great, and the Walmart a highlight. We were all impressed by the huge open bins of food (including chicken legs, duck legs, thousand year-old eggs(!)) -- we watched as the butchers wore masks to cut the meat and then the stuff went unwrapped into the open bins that customers pawed through with their bare hands. We tasted some milk drink on the street that was being given away as samples -- it was thick as if it might have been cultured, but didn’t taste as tangy as yoghurt might have. Who knows?
Day 13 -- March 28
Jingdezhen
Full day bus tour of Jingdezhen, historical home of the Chinese porcelain industry -- and still where the really nice stuff is made. 2-hour bus ride to the city where even the lamp posts are made of blue and white porcelain culminated in tour of ancient porcelain site with similarly ancient porcelain artisans working on ancient wheels set in the ground -- which they turned with a stick, no foot pedals here. Beautiful hand techniques in use and stunning results -- with stunning numbers of failures as the wares were broken in the firing process. Each step in the process was done by one person who repeated the same step over and over -- Henry Ford would have been proud but the rest of us would have gone nuts, I fear. All of the artisans are in their 70s -- you wonder who will take over the demonstrations when they die. One young man was working on four electric powered wheels at the end -- he could easily take over the throwing, but I wonder if he will . . .
The finished works were eggshell thin -- no buying here, they’d never make it home. Of course the museum/factory will ship for you!
After another sumptuous Chinese banquet lunch in a hotel, we went to the street market -- an uncountable number of small and large stores with local and imported wares of various quality and price. Haggling and bargaining, of course.
Another big dinner on board -- must have gained 10 or so pounds!
After dinner the crew presented their cabaret show: three or four musical productions, singer (Libby, our river guide), magician. They were very good, and well worth staying up for -- showtime was at 9:30, after the wait staff finished their dining room duties.
Day 14 -- March 29
Mt. Jiuhua
Disembarkation briefing, followed by lecture on Buddhism. We’ll have an early lunch so we can board the buses again for our tour of the Buddhist temple.
The trip up the mountain, as advertised, was narrow and twisty (99 turns, according to the guide) and the switchbacks were really tight. But Chinese drivers are ever alert and ready with the horn to defend their position. Egad! But the monastery and temple at the top were something special. Here is where that Buddha with a bazillion arms resides. And we saw monks reciting and performing some ceremony (since it was afternoon, the ceremony was for the dead, not the living) -- they must have felt like some sort of display pieces as we all stared in at them. Much burning incense and chanting, bowing and kneeling. To the uninitiated it was incomprehensible, of course. It is still amazing that they build these elaborate structures in such inhospitable places -- vertical walls are important. Fortunately they are of granite. And the truly faithful must climb up the mountain on foot, not ride in the comfort of a bus. It’s about 4000 feet straight up, should you feel inclined. (Incline is a good choice of words.)
We all returned home to the ship tired, dusty, dirty and ready for showers. It was, however, the nicest day, weatherwise, that we’ve had: sunny, the sky almost blue -- the altitude obviously a factor as we were above much of the pollution which afflicts China. Our farewell dinner was a traditional Chinese affair celebrated with friends we’ve made on board: Judy and Jim McDivitt, Grace and David Dyss, Marilyn and Lowell Keairns. Back to our cabin to pack all our stuff and have the bags out in the hall tonight -- or by 6a.m. latest. Tomorrow we’ll be in Shanghai.
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