Our time on the Yangtze River was spent aboard the Victoria Star. Victoria Cruise Lines have been cruising along the ancient waters of the Yangtze since 1994.

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It was fun watching the colorful riverboats before we set sail.

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Our shore excursion today was a visit to a relocation village. Because the Three Gorges Dam was going to raise the water level from 110 meters above sea level to 175 meters, some 1.4 million farmers along the river were going to be displaced and had to be relocated. We first visited this farmer who had become a noodle maker. In the garage and basement of his new home he was first grinding the wheat and then making some 800 pounds of noodles to sell in his village each week.

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We next visited a lady who lived in a three-story home with a basement. Believe it or not, she was raising some 100 pigs in the basement area, had a small shop in the garage area where she was selling dry goods as well as funeral wreaths that she handmade. As we climbed up two flights of stairs, the pig smell dissipated and we were in her living room that was nicely furnished with modern furniture. She lived on this floor and her son, his wife and his son on the third floor. Extended family living in China is a way of life and expected.

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On our way back to the bus we cut through the local market. We saw all kinds of things being sold like these pig snouts - I have to wonder how they are cooked (and did I eat any?)!

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This little one didn't seem to be very happy as he was carried in this unique baby carrier.

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Al and I happened to be up on the observation deck as we sailed past Shi Bao Zhai, the Red Pagoda. The red pavilion is nine-floors which lean against the side of the hill.

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Tonight the staff treated us to a Dynasty Show that featured a variety of Chinese traditional costumes from regions and periods of Chinese history.

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This afternoon we boarded a ferry that took us along the Daning River, a tributary of the Yangtze. We sailed through the scenic area of the beautiful Lesser Gorges.

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The Daning River winds it way 20 miles through this beautiful gorge where we could hear birds singing and catch an occasional sighting of monkeys. The water here has become a deep, clear shade of green in contrast to the muddy waters of the Yangtze.

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Since we were now going to enter the lesser, lesser gorge of the Madu River, we next transferred onto a sampan.

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The river ranges from only from 30-90 feet wide in this gorge while the cliffs on either bank soar to an average of 2400-3000 feet.

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Mysterious plants and fungus of longevity (lingzhi) grow high up on the cliff face. This particular area was pointed out to us as resembling the Last Supper. Can you see it?

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Beautiful waterfalls were found around every corner because it had rained during the night and morning.

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Years ago, one poled a sampan down the river, but today a small motor powered our boat. Here I am dressed in traditional raingear (over my modern one) pretending to move the sampan!

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Another beautiful waterfall! Before the dam, these lesser gorges were not accessible for tourists because the water was very shallow. I'm so glad that we've had this opportunity to see these lesser gorges.

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Around each bend one sees more beauty.

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In the Misty Gorge, a 2,000 year-old "hanging" coffin is visible suspended on a precipice high up on the cliff-face. It is a relic left over from the Ba people who inhabited the gorges region some 3,500-1,800 years ago. It is thought that the coffins were put up high so as to be closer to the heavens.

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This house and surrounding buildings were built by a father for his son in an effort to help the son concentrate only on studies. I wonder if it worked?

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The captain came to our Odysseys private dining room to bid us farewell on our last night aboard the Star.

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Sally and Helen were our personal servers in our private room. They certainly took very good care of us.

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We watched the Victoria Cruises Cabaret the last night. It was kind of a talent show with dancers, singers and even a magician. The finale was a game that Tryna participated in and won!

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We were surprised that we didn't see as many temples here in China as we thought we would. This one, The Yellow Ox Temple, was at the port where we disembarked to visit the dam.

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Today we got to see the dam and learn a little about its construction. We got a chuckle when we saw this sign! Literal translations sometimes just don't work.

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