Day 12 - Silvermoon's cruise

Breakfast on the ship is served as shown below:

There's warm soya milk, hard boiled eggs, porridge. I just ate whatever I could lay my hands on.

After some breakfast, Zee Min and me went on to the deck whereby we took some pictures and started singing loudly to the tunes and songs from 环珠格格(Pearl Princess). At that moment I really felt like we were in the film's era through our songs.

The Silver moon's behind view. Her jet powered engines caused such waves.

Another view from the deck.

This mountain reminds me of the pyramids in Giza only that it's natural.

Silver Moon herself looks something like this ferry.

We had to change ferry as we will be venturing into smaller tributaries from now on.

A bridge! I had no idea why I keep snapping bridges one after another.

This is Mr Wong and one of the tour guides. Mr Wong is confirming about the timing of the trip.

The ferry has some business as well. Here, antiques as well as some jewellery are sold.

Once again, another group picture on the ferry.

See the turquoise water and clear reflection? Exactly what I wanted for a vacation... also something I will seldom get.

Another type of bamboo that pandas can eat. (Look, Mr Wong told me that) Focus on the green part, please.

The peak that is prefect to practice Titanic. Just kidding.

A crevice that nests birds or bats. More likely the latter.

And the tributary brunch we are on is known as 神农峡(Shen nong is an ancient emperor revered as god of agriculture).

Since this area was famous for herbs, I initially wanted to look at the wild herbs but it was not allowed t as this place is a natural reserve for the wild herbs.

A local boy.

We were then sub divided into smaller group to fill the 'sampan'. All of us put on our life vests as the local tourists start to introduce themselves.

Well, the rowers are so 辛苦(tiring and hard work). And the tour guide asked, "Guess where is the head of the boat?"

Obviously at the back because you don't see him actually rowing the boat now, do you?

As we sail by here, we are told this is an old town that will be demolished or flooded as the villagers moved to higher grounds.

And their work's never done. The rowers also had to hoist the boat. Back in the olden days, they were rather naked and so, many of us were disappointed that there wasn't such re enactment.

Our local tour guide who clasped her hands to the stance of an opera singer and sang her folk songs well and loud.

We also were introduced to the CD's containing her local folk song priced at 28 yuan each. So commercialised.

Along the journey, apparently, the disc is not refundable as a guy in out boat dropped the disc into the gaps of the boat and so, had to purchase it. The tour guide also refused the return of the wet disc and cover and so, Xiang Yu swapped it.

It made me feel put off. While it is true that she should be selling the discs, accidents happen after all.

Back on shore, I went up to see Mr Wong purchasing some potatoes from the local children. I admire their courage and impressed. In Singapore, kids their age should only be having fun and not working at all.

There's supposed to be the famed 'Hanging Coffin' inside there. Erm, I could not capture it.

Back on Silver Moon and just in time for lunch. A plain fare.

As we travelled further upstream, these mountains resembled a clenched fist.

At last, one of the three gorges. A rock that was said to take on the shape of a woman. A typical heartbreaking story around the rock- That of a wife waiting for her husband.

See something that looks like a tablet there in the middle top middle of the photo? That's named after a plaque(of sorts) placed outside the Capital in the past to announce the scholars who passed the imperial exams.

Yea. We enjoy the camera and the view as well.

An abandoned and old temple situated on the hill. Now we know why it's abandoned, it's on high grounds.

This peak is another part of the three gorges. It resembles (should) the picture of the mountain on the 10 yuan note. Seriously, is it the same one?

The beautiful setting sun on the deck. In the open air, as the cruise sails, the setting sun casts a super reflection that made me recall that this is a never ending cycle. Like Yin to Yang and life to death.

By nightfall, we finally reach the place.

This is the temple whereby I was ushered to pray for peace while I still had little idea what's going on. I was given a packet of rice and told to donate 99 yuan. In the end, a tour guide came to my rescue and I paid only 2 yuan. It's the though and sincerity that counts and not the amount.

I find it scary that the monks wold use such tactic to make quick bucks. It seems to be going against buddha's principles.

A wooden coffin. And iinside, there's money because people believe that by throwing money into the coffin, you will have wealth (丢钱在棺材，年年都有财）Pun on the last characters.

Bones of an elderly man and a child found in a coffin that is smaller in size. Scary to see skulls loooking at you.

By touching the bark of this tree, it is said to bring luck and peace to the person. Go and touch the photo, whahaha.

I am not sure what is this statue of but women use their right hand and man use their left hand only to touch all parts of the statue. Said to make you stress free, no backpain and all, it's great fun as people kept 'molesting' the statue even with use of wrong hands.

An ancient room.

And beside the ancient room, stalls were all selling combs. Many of the others purchase combs at 50 yuan that is said to be healthy for the hair.

Much later, As Zee Min and me passed by the shop, she saw the exact same comb at a mere 38 yuan and kept complaining to me that she felt cheated. Take it as a lessson learnt, everyone, never just buy anyting directly in China. We all have to source before buying.

Words that I have never written or read before. But still, it's artistic.

Ancient Chinses used to write from pictures that resemble the animals which later became simplified chinese. But these writings give us an insight to ancient chinese's writing which resembles drawings to tell a story.

A place to commerate Liu Bei as well as Zhu Ge Liang from The Three Kingdom. 白帝城 is loosely translated into City of White King.

Sedans that could carry us up the stairs (my legs went numb). Of course, we had to pay for the service.

On our way back, we came across this sign:

We have to pay for such service. Wait. When does the temple even become such money grabbers? This is too much.

Along the way, we all stopped at the provision shop whereby I managed to get some biscuits for the long journey back.

Thereafter, went back to our room in Silvermoon for dinner before I retire for the night.

There's televison in our room! Cool.

Oh yea, I got stuck in the toilet 2 times and both times, I had Zee Min to bail me out. Thanks. Actually, Zee Min was te first one to get locked in and her situation was even worse. She had went back to her room and locked the door before getting herself locked in the toilet.

We all could not enter the room and helped her. Xiang Yu went to get a staff with the master key and we finally rescued her. No wonder Zee min hates that toilet and I think that someone up there hates me enough to try and trap me...