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Thursday - 24 May - We are at
Chongqing. Up at 0600 for buffet
breakfast at 0715 - luggage taken as usual from outside the cabin. A final
large buffet breakfast on board. Porters come to carry luggage - they have
bamboo poles and ropes across shoulders and can carry a huge, heavy load. It is
raining hard but they carry their loads down the ship gangplank to the dock and
then across a wet pontoon bridge and up a steep staircase that is awash with
rainwater like a waterfall. It is quite dangerous for us walking, but the
porters do their job. We won't see the bags until we arrive at the next hotel -
in Guilin. I am winded and dizzy from the climb. There are Chinese men trying
to earn a tip by holding people's arms even when told they are not needed. They
persist and then act upset when they don't receive a tip. I offer one
persistant fellow who has grabbed my arm 5Y, but he acts outraged, so as a
result he receives nothing. Chongqing is a mountain city built on a narrow
ridge between the Yangtze and Jailing Rivers. But now the city has expanded
across both rivers. It is a important industrial and river port city, now
separated administratively from Sichuan Province as a municipality directly
subordinate to the central government. There are several new super highway type
roads cut through the city, but most streets are narrow and winding. We pass
many busy stores and restaurants on the way up and down and around to reach the
General Stillwell Museum. It is in the very house in which he lived and had his
office during World War II. The authorities have done an excellent job in
restoration and furnishing it with original or replica furniture. There are
many photos on the walls. But photography is not allowed. Clearly Stillwell is
much revered by the Chinese. Across the street we visit another museum. the
Flying Tiger museum featuring General Chenault. He is another hero for the
Chinese. Here we have an interesting lecture on wartime Chongqing (Chungking)
and the role of the American air force not only the fighters but also the
transport flights over the "hump". Photography is allowed. Then we
drive to the fine, modern airport for the flight to
Guilin.
This is a smaller town - only 500,000 inhabitants. But it is a tourist stop due
to the popular cruise on the Li River. After checking into the Lijiang
Waterfall Hotel, 1 North Shan hu Road, we are taken to a local elementary
school. Children are always fun to visit and watch. These eager youngsters
crowd around making a V sign. They are anxious to mug for photos. Back to the
hotel and then walk around the city area by a lake that once was part of the
medieval Tang Dynasty moat. Now all the walls are gone except one short gate
section that is converted into a restaurant. The huge city central square right
next to the hotel turns out to be a cover for a large underground garage. The
surface of the square is covered by a large world map inscribed on it. We walk
across to the nearest McDonald for a milkshake and are caught out in a downpour
while hurrying back to our room. The room overlooks the city square and
mountains and the window is on the hotel wall that features the waterfall.
Periodically, as the waterfall is turned on we cannot see out through the
cascade of water falling against the window. Dinner is at 1800. This is the
first 'western style' meal we have had. A small salad and one course, salmon,
plus desert, ice cream. After dinner we walk alongthe lake to see the lighted
bridges and pagodas. Then we return to the square to watch the lighted
waterfall from outside. According to the guide books this is a very expensive,
5 star hotel and it lives up to the rating. I count 31 three or four star
hotels listed in this tourist city. The square if filled with Chinese enjoying
the waterfall as we do. The city has many restaurants as well.
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