Pritam Rohila Travels

CHINA 09: YICHANG

May 27 Continued

On the conclusion of our visit to the Temple of Heaven, we left directly to the airport to catch the 1:35 p.m. Air China flight to Yichang, the launching point for our 4-night Yangtze River Cruise.

At the airport, Ann, our Beijing guide bought us some McDonald’s snacks to hold us till we were served our in-flight meals.

On the plane, Kundan and I met, Zhao Chen, a young businessman from Yichang, who conversed with us in English fairly well.

Located on the banks of the Yangtze River, Yichang is a medium-sized port city in the Hubei province.

The Three Gorges Project has changed the area’s climate, making it rainier during the April-May harvest season. Also rain adversely affects their orange crops.

Nancy, our local guide, received us at the airport. Like other travel guides in China. She too had adopted a Christian nickname, which is easier for the tourists to pronounce.

Nancy, 32, was married and had a 17-month-old daughter. With her husband and daughter she lived in a 7^th floor apartment. That way, it was easier for her to maintain her weight and figure, since in China elevators are allowed only in residential buildings with more than 7 floors.

During her work hours, her parents looked after her daughter.

A young girl, these days, wishes to marry a man, who has an apartment, away from his parents, on the 8^th or higher floor. For dates, he takes her to Haggen Daz, not because she likes the ice cream, but because it is very expensive. It is even better, if he has a BMW (“Be My Wife”) car, and lets her have her own credit card.

Nancy took us to a Museum, which houses items unearthed from an island, before it submerged under the rising waters of the Three Gorges Dam Reservoir. To be able to display more items, they plan to expand the building. Therefore, they are selling items, which are less than 300 year-old.