After checking out we headed to san xia, but this time from a different view, we were on top of it! It was way better than the just seeing the walls out of our cabin windows but because of the fog we weren’t unable to capture the greatness of the dams. The dams were also used to generate electricity for 3 states in China
Reflection:
If Singapore was as big as China we could build our own dams we not only have water we also can generate our own electricity and we would not have to rely on other countries and we could be more independent than we are now! However international ties are also important, because we are a small country, with diplomatic ties with other bigger countries will not only strengthen our position globally too.
After visiting san xia I’ve leant that whatever the Chinese put their minds to do, they will complete it even if it takes longer than expected they will complete it. It was sun yat sun’s dream to build something so huge back in 1919 and it was only completed in 2005, so time doesn’t matter, it’s the determination and perseverance that is most important.
hydroelectricity
the very nice little girl that allowed us to share seats with her
the dams
a little fun wouldn't kill!
a garden which holds momuments regarding the dam
the bulldozer they used to make the dam! super duper huge!!!!!
Waking up by 6 for breakfast was a TORTURE! Not only was the food terrible, we were so tired too
Everything tasted bland and oily :/ we can’t expect anything from a 2 star cruise, yucky food is better than no food. Many people all over the world are dying of hunger and here we are throwing food away like nobody’s business!
Sun rise
We docked after breakfast and climbed up to BAI DI CHANG to visit this temple. At the bottom of the hill there was this carriage service, where we could pay an amount and allow the carriers to carry us up! It might seem tempting and all, but thinking of it, we came all the way here, and we should challenge ourselves!
The tour guide told us a story, the story that left a great impression on me was the story on how they got the coffins up to the top of the mountains, they have different analogies of how they got them up, it was either carrying them up by hand or building some stairs structure and walking all the way up. The purpose of doing this is to show how filial they are to their elders, the higher up on the mountain they are the more filial they are. Till now they do not know how they got the coffins up so high.
Reflection:
Being influence by the western culture, we aren’t so superstitious all that we’ll do is to give them a proper burial, we’ll not go through the extend of carrying their coffins to the top of the mountain to show how filial we are, as long as you know you have done your best, your elders will know it and you do not have to put on a show to show to the world how “great” you are.
Back to the boat we go,
Lunch and followed by some sightseeing of the 3 gorges, it wasn’t as magnificent as what Mr Lim claims, maybe I’m do not appreciate such sights as much as he does? Cause as we cruise along the Yangtze River, the sight is exactly the same from the start to end.
Stopped over to take this little boat to cruise along the river, the most unforgettable event was the boat was manually rowed two of them in front and two at the back,( all of them were >50 years old) there isn’t a need for them to row us but however it’s their way of living and they have been doing it all their lives. At one point the river got really narrow and that made rowing impossible so they had to pull us along the river. Even thought it was just a short distance, I could feel their effort and the amount strength they had to put in to pull us along.
I’ll never let my parents do such a thing; they shouldn’t be doing such strenuous stuff in their old age, they should be enjoying live, and not working their ass off.
At night, we were all geared up to enter the dam! It took forever to enter and it took forever to get out of just one gantry! However the experience was rather cool, I’ve learnt it back in school but to experience it was even better! First they release the water so that the water level will be the same as the next gantry and continuing for the next 5 gantries. We could actually see the difference, one minute we can see the sky the next we’re facing the walls of the dams!
Semester 2 results were out this morning, and i did terribly as compared to my classmates. Everyone always says this to me:” there is always next time”, but no! When you’re in such a competitive education system, everything counts, right down to the tiny things like conduct. It too plays a role in what you do in the future.
@1PM
At first I was all emo and sitting at one corner, but if felt much better once I has a nap on the bus to the jetty to san xia.
We had different stop over’s for us to relieve ourselves and what not. The first stop had the best, it had a really great vies and it was also super duper mega clean! When we walked over the floor, it gave out a squeaky sound! That’s how clean it is! If only our school hostel toilet was this clean! I wouldn’t mind cleaning it every week to maintain that shine.
Pretty flowers blooming
(The bus journey continues)
1st commotion
Then came dinner, I usually enjoy the meals that the school brings us to, firstly because it’s always in some high class restaurant and secondly, the food is totally different from what we normally eat at the school’s back street. Being such a slowpoke, I wasn’t able to sit with Yanting and all because someone “stole” my place, so I reluctantly went and sat with the teachers, however it wasn’t as bad as I thought, I did mingle but not too much though. Mingling is important, be it small random talks with strangers or serious talks regarding important matters, they are all important for this thing called OUR FUTURE! It helps us to built up self esteem and courage to talk to people of all walks of life .
2nd commotion
Reached the jetty, to board the san xia cruise, for no apparently ½ of our group was stopped at the gate, we weren’t allowed to forward which lead us standing there like a bunch of idiots! Suddenly, millions of China people rushed in , into the gate that we were standing in front of. They kept pushing and asking us to get out, it really felt like a stampede which lead me even more pissed.
Lesson learnt from the second commotion is TO WALK FASTER AND NOT TAKE MY TIME WITH THINGS!
Keys issued, went up to our rooms and slept.
The living condition is way better than in the hostel! But it’s just a little squeeze!
