Alaska 2011 - Denali Pre-Trip

Fairbanks and Denali National Park

August 27 – September 2, 2011

We were excited to be back traveling with Lindblad on another Photo Expedition. The pre-trip option to Fairbanks and Denali National Park was enticing since we had not been to this area before. We flew to Fairbanks a day early to spend an extra night at Pike’s Waterfront Lodge.

August 28

Iditarod dogs pull a four-wheeler as practice

To fill the extra day we took the Riverboat Discovery tour. This is a sternwheeler that goes down the Chena River to the Tanana River. Along this 3 1/2 hour trip we went by the home of the late Iditarod Champion, Susan Butcher, and her husband told us about the dogs and gave them a workout pulling a four-wheeler.

Many of the homes along the river had floatplanes parked nearby as flying is a main means of transportation in Alaska. As a demo for us, a bush pilot took off beside us, circled and landed alongside. He repeated this again.

On the way back up river we stopped at an Athabascan Indian Village where we took a walking tour, stopping at many buildings where their culture and survival skills were discussed and demonstrated. It was a sunny afternoon and an informative enjoyable time.

In the evening we met the rest of the group for dinner and a briefing. Afterward we were driven a ways out of town where we could see a section of the large oil pipeline, up close.

August 29

The next morning after breakfast we loaded the luggage onto the bus and then visited the University of Alaska Museum of the North before starting the drive to and through Denali National Park to North Face Lodge. We stopped at the park entrance visitors’ center to look around and eat our sack lunches. Everything was moved over to the lodge’s buses for the 89 mile, seven hour drive, mostly on a windy dirt road, to the lodge.

It was a beautiful sunny day with scattered clouds. The foliage on the small trees and shrubs had turned beautiful yellows, oranges and reds. 

We saw Mt. McKinley in the distance. We came across moose and brown bear on the drive. There was a picnic style dinner along the way and we had desert when we arrived at the lodge.

August 30

North Face Lodge

After a good night’s sleep and a nice breakfast when we met the camp staff, we had a briefing and they outlined the day’s options. We chose the leisure walks around the area and a trip to Wonder Lake. Since it was quite cool and things were damp from recent rain we wore our raingear and knee-high waterproof boots. With the foliage colors and the mountain peaking out from the clouds, it was a fun day to be a photographer. In the evening, after a storm passed by, the sky turned brilliant colors.

August 31

Sometime shortly after midnight I woke up and noticed that my heart was beating irregularly. This continued the rest of the night and by 5:30 I sent Paul out to see if someone could come evaluate me. Fortunately, the camp manager had EMT training and came quickly to check on me. We decided that I really did need to get to a medical facility to be checked. The options were limited: a 90-mile drive to the main road and then what, or take the close-by Kantishna Air Taxi to Fairbanks and then a flight to Anchorage. This was the one we chose and preceded to get packed to leave. In the mean time, my heart went back into normal rhythm.

Mt. McKinley from the Cessna flight to Fairbanks.

All the timings were perfect. The Cessna flight to Fairbanks took about 45 minutes and there was less than an hour before the Alaska flight took off for Anchorage for its 45-minute flight. After a few hours at the emergency room and some tests, and with consultation with my doctor at home, I was cleared to continue the trip. No real cause was ever determined for the problem.

The family who owns North Face Lodge also owns The Parkside Guest House, a delightful B&B close to downtown Anchorage. We were able to stay there the next two nights until we could reconnect with the group when they came out of the park. All worked out well, but it wasn’t an experience I’d like to repeat.

September 1

Parkside Guest House, Anchorage

Since we now have two unexpected days in Anchorage, we made the best of it by checking out the town and visiting the Native Heritage Center. We had lunch and dinner in town before the ten-block walk back to the Parkside B&B.

September 2

We rejoined the group at the Hilton. The B&B manager took us, and our luggage, to the hotel in the late morning after we had the unexpected chance to do some laundry. The Hilton held our luggage for us until check-in time. It was cooler and raining some of the time so we had made the right decision to save the Anchorage Museum for this day and enjoyed it and being inside.

We were checked in to our room and had had dinner by the time the group pulled in on the train from Denali at about 8:30 pm. We watched them arrive from our window. It was good to be back with the group and we got the briefing on the next day’s activities, which included the flight to Sitka to board the National Geographic Sea Lion and start the Twelve Day Photo Expedition of Alaska, British Columbia and the San Juan Islands.  We were with Lindblad Expeditions and its photo team of Jack and Rikki Swenson and National Geographic Photographer Flip Nicklin.

That's it for now. Grace and Paul

China 2011 - Hong Kong

July 15 – 18, 2011

Day 1, July 15

After a morning flight from Wuhan to Hong Kong we arrived at the new airport, which opened in 1998 – just a year before our last visit in ’99. There was an hour drive over beautiful bridges and through a tunnel over to the island of Hong Kong. Once checked in to the Charterhouse Causeway Bay Hotel we regrouped to take a walking tour of the area. Sally pointed out various places of potential interest, like McDonalds, Starbucks, other places to eat, and the Time Square Shopping Mall close by. The rest of the afternoon and evening was on our own and it was interesting to wander and note that things have not changed much from our 1999 visit or after the Chinese took over control of the area from the British in 1997.

We wandered under the freeway, through the food market and spent some time getting to know Times Square. To celebrate the opening of the last Harry Potter movie there was a mock-up of the Hogwarts Train and a model area of Diagon Alley and a statue of Dobie. That was fun.

Day 2, July 16

That day was filled with tours around the city. First we drove to Hollywood Road and visited a local market. This road was built in 1844 and named before the Hollywood in California was even settled. The area is known for its antique stores and art galleries. We stopped for a short visit to the Man Mo Temple where they had huge incense coils hanging from the ceiling.

At one point we were let out along Queen’s Road where we took a long section of the 800-meter (2625 feet) escalator down to Hollywood Road. The escalator is made up of 23 short sections. It only goes one direction; down hill from 6:00 – 10:00 am and uphill from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.

After a short stop at the obligatory TSL Jewelry workshop we continued on to the south side of the island to Aberdeen. We had a sampan ride through the harbor, which is home for many fishermen. Since it is not fishing season many boats were in the harbor, but most of the fishermen now live in the new high-rise apartment buildings along the shore instead of on their boats like they did during our 1982 visit. There are only about 200 still residing on boats, including the lady who was our sampan guide. She lives on the sampan we were on and was very proud of it.

For the evening we took the optional “Hong Kong by Night and Asian Cuisine tour. It started with a drive over to Kowloon, through the tunnel, and a walk along the waterfront before boarding a ferry to go back across Victoria Harbor back to Hong Kong.

The city was beautifully lit and the weather cooperated and did not rain (much) on us. Back on the island we boarded a double-decker bus to experience another form of transportation. Then there was a drive up to The Peak but unfortunately it was in the clouds, so we didn’t get that view. It was a fun evening with a variety of experiences.

Day 3 – July 17

After breakfast, instead of taking the day at leisure we chose the optional tour of Kowloon and the New Territories, which included lunch. One of the interesting stops was a small area where men, probably retired, bring their pet birds in elaborate cages to “socialize” with other birds, also in cages. This was a fascinating concept and the men seemed to enjoy their visiting time as well.

The next stop was a peaceful park where we walked around the lake and enjoyed the plants, rock garden and water features.

More changes we noticed since our ’82 and ’99 visits included the fact that there are only a few shanty style areas instead of the hillside covered with them. Another is that the “Tiger Balm Gardens” are gone. I’m also sure there are many more high-rise housing buildings.

We had lunch in a fishing area where we saw all kinds of sealife, in tanks, for sale. Some of the clams were huge.

The Farewell Dinner at the hotel took much of the evening. It was hard to wind down from our four weeks together (including Mongolia) and three weeks with our great guide Sally.

Days 4/5 – July 18-19

This morning we packed up and were to have left for home flying via Vancouver, BC. For whatever reason, we found out that our plane had left Vancouver hours late. Therefore, we were allowed to have access to our rooms and didn’t have to leave for the airport until 4:00 pm. We walked around and revisited Time Square and even had lunch at a McDonalds across the street from the mall.

Because we were over three hours late leaving Hong Kong we missed our connecting flight from Vancouver down to Portland. Air Canada was on top of it and booked us into a hotel for the night and scheduled us on the first flight out the next morning. So, by 10:00 am July 19 we were back home after a month on the road. It was a great trip and even though not making it to Tibet (see post about Chendu, Lijiang and Kunming) was a big disappointment, especially to Paul, we were very satisfied with the trip. Again OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel) came through!!!

China 2011 - Yangtze River Cruise

China 2011 – Yangtze River Cruise

July 11-14, 2011

On July 11, after a half-day tour of Kunming and an early lunch, we flew to Chongqing, the largest city in the world, with a population of 33-34 million. Since we were traveling in the middle of the monsoon season, it was no surprise that it was humid and raining, but not hot.

As with all of my China posts, I have been trying to identify ways the country is the same or has changed since our first two trips in 1982 and 1999. Since we cruised upstream on the Yangtze in 1999 (a five day trip), when the Three Gorges Dam was not complete, there are a number of comparisons I will note during our three-day down river cruise.

Learning about tea

Before boarding the ship we had a short tour of the city that included a stop at a viewpoint. The area was totally in the clouds so we had to settle for an information museum about the Three Gorges Dam, which featured a model and a very long mural of the Yangtze that was a great visual of the gorge. Sadly, no photography was allowed. Next-door was a tea house where several ladies demonstrated the proper way to make tea. By then it was dark and time for dinner and to head to the ship.

The Lienna, further down stream

Our cruise was on the Victoria Cruise Line’s Lienna, one of the eight boats owned by an American Chinese company. In 1999 this was the only line on the Yangtze owned and run by Americans, exclusively for non-Chinese. Now, with more boats and different times, it is open to Chinese and all nationalities. The boat had six decks and holds about 200 passengers, but there were only about 100 for our trip. The cabins were comfortable and larger than the regular cabins on the boat we were on in ’99.

Chongqing from the ship

When we first boarded we were greeted by the Cruise Director and some other staff and given a brief orientation. Before we were given our cabin assignments and keys we were required to pay the 150¥ tip (less than $25) that went to the crew. This certainly was different from any previous cruise experiences we have had. There was time to get settled before we left the dock at 10:00 pm.

Day 1, July 12

River Cruise and Family Visit

Relocated family's store and home

The next day started with us already docked for the morning outings. While everyone else on the ship went to Fendu – the Temple to the Underground, which we saw in ’99 and didn’t need to experience again, our group boarded a bus for the drive up to one of the new cities built to accommodate the people who were displaced by the rising river level when the dam was completed. In ’99 we could see these towns, way up on the hills, as they were already being constructed. We visited one of the displaced families.

 At this point I should explain that, for the most part, everyone in China is designated either an “Urbanite” or a “Farmer” with certain distinctions and privileges given to each. The people living along the Yangtze were Farmers and they paid taxes on the land they farmed. Communes, like we saw in 1982 no longer existed even in 1999. When all these farmers - 1.3 million people – had to be relocated above the new high water line, they were given a choice. They could be compensated with land and stay farmers, or with money and become Urbanites. The family we visited decided to take the money and with it they built a house in the town. Their new house has a convenience store on the street level. There was enough money left over for the son and his family to open a restaurant near by. Although things were difficult at first because they were some of the first to move, they did not regret the decision and they are living better than they had ever dreamed. We then had a little time to walk down the street and experience everyday life.

The afternoon was spent cruising down the Yangtze, observing the large cities along the bank and the heavy river traffic. Now the river is navigable to large barges all the way inland the Chongqing. 

The weather was not warm, but humid and rainy some of the time. Since there was a combination of fog and pollution, it was impossible to get clear pictures. During these free times there were lectures on various topics but we didn’t go to many, except for the one on the Three Gorges Dam, which was of special interest to Paul. Sally gave a talk to our group about Tibet and the history of Buddhism, which was very detailed and enlightening. 

The evening entertainment was a Chinese Dynasties Show featuring historical costumes, customs and dances.

Day 2 – July 13

Three Lesser Gorges Excursion

Ferry in the Lesser Three Gorges

We spent this morning on the Yangtze sailing past cities and through some of the narrow gorges on the main river. After an early lunch we disembarked in Wushan and moved over to ferry boats for the afternoon cruise up the Daning River through the Lesser Three Gorges. This is where we noticed a huge change from ’99 when the boats taking us up the Daning River were very small sampans and there was barely enough water for them to navigate.

In many places these gorges range from 30-90 feet wide with cliffs on either side form 2500-3000 ft. high. Some were tree and shrub covered and others exhibited the interesting rock formations showing the uplifting that has created this area.

After passing through the Dragon Gate Gorge and the Misty Gorge and midway up the Emerald Green Gorge we transferred from the ferryboat to motorized sampans to sail through the Mini Gorges of the Madu River. 

Where possible, there were farms right down to the water’s edge and in some places even net enclosed fish farms. 

Along the cliffs there were many kinds of ladders and stairs for people to climb from the river level up to the towns and villages. When we were there the river level was at 148 meters (485 ft.) above sea level. When the lake is full above the dam it can reach 175 meters (575 ft.) and there are periodic markers showing those levels. Everything has been cleared away up to the 175 m level.

Paul models rain gear on the sampan

 
The trip back down the river was much faster, but the whole outing was about six hours. In the evening, after the Farewell Dinner, there was another show of cultural dances. Since we would disembark the next day, we also had to get everything organized and packed.

Boat next to us in the Three Gorges Dam locks

Before we went to bed we approached the dam and entered the locks. There was room for two cruise ships to fit side-by-side and it seemed we could almost touch the side of the lock or the other ship. Although I didn’t go look, I’m gong to guess there could have been six or eight in all. The whole process of going through the five locks took much of the night.

Day 3 – July 14

Three Gorges Dam model and information center

Three Gorges Dam, Yichang to Wuhan

This morning we docked and the big event was a visit to the Three Gorges Dam Site by bus. Although it was not raining, it was still foggy and very difficult to see the 1.4 miles to the other side of the dam. From the viewing area on an island between the dam and the locks we could see down into the locks we came through the night before. The double lane series of five locks allow ships to go upstream in one and down stream in the other, at the same time. There is also a ship elevator/lift for small boats that isn’t finished yet, but will take boats all the way up in one move.

In 1919 Sr. Sun Yat Sen first proposed the dam for flood control. After a huge flood in 1954, Chairman Mao proposed a new plan in 1958. There was on/off U.S. support and help along the way. By 1997 the cofferdam was completed and ships were diverted. Public visits to the site started in 1998 and when we visited in ’99 the dam stretched over halfway across the river and they were excavating for the ship locks.

Paul at the dam

The dam was completed in 2006 with 14 turbines on the left side and 12 on the right – all are 700 megawatt generating units. They are still working on six more underground turbines, which will allow for 84.7 billion KWH, or altogether 11% of China’s power needs. The reservoir stretches almost 400 miles upstream. China is now beginning to acknowledge some of the major problems caused by the dam. Only time will tell if the benefits outweigh the risks and problems. The visit to the viewpoint was very interesting and informative and a good closure for both our 1999 and 2011 visits.

Back on the boat, we had lunch and went through all the checkout procedures as we continued downstream to Yichang where we disembarked for the five-hour bus ride to Wuhan to spend the night.

During the trip Sally, our guide, had been asked questions about her family, and we learned a few things, but she saved the full story for this long ride. Using her story to explain the “Cultural Revolution” period from 1966-1976, she told how it affected both sides of her family. It was an excellent way to make the events and government decisions personal, relevant and interesting.

We arrived at the Wuhan hotel in time for dinner and an early night because of an early flight the next morning for Hong Kong. The three days on board the ship had given us a time to relax and some badly needed rest after almost a month on the road.

 


That's it for now. Grace and Paul

China - 2011; Chendu, Lijian and Lunming

Chendu – July 6-7

In the late afternoon of July 6 we flew from Xian to Chendu in time to check in and have dinner. There was an optional evening show called “Changing Faces.” This is a specialty of Chendu where the actors have multiple masks and change them so swiftly you can’t see it happen. There was also a hand shadow performer who was excellent. After the show Sally arranged for us to try the hand shadows and dress up in some of the dancer’s costumes.

The morning of July 7 we enjoyed a long visit to the Panda Sanctuary – the reason for going to Chendu. The giant panda is considered a Chinese national treasure. There are fewer than 1000 left and 80% of them live in the wilds of Sichuan Province. The breeding and research center strives to create a natural habitat for the pandas and other endangered species. We were fortunate to see a number of pandas even though the viewing areas were very crowded.

There was some free time in the afternoon before our evening flight so Sally took us to an area where we could walk through a typical Tibetan street and shopping area. Most of the women opted instead for a two-hour massage.

The evening flight to Lijiang included dinner and we arrived in the lovely old city in time to check in and go to bed.

Lijiang – July 8-9

Our original tour had included a visit to Tibet. A week before our departure we were informed that China was closing the borders to Tibet for the month of July for unspecified reasons. This happens at their whim, unfortunately, but when it does happen OAT has plan B in place that includes visits to Lijiang and Kunming – two minority cities near Tibet.

Lijiang, in Yunnan Province, sits at 7,200 feet and was settled by the Naxi people about 1500 years ago. The “Old” city section is now a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site and we were privileged to stay in a lovely old Tibetan-style hotel in that area of the city. This is also the area where the Flying Tigers “Special Air Unit” trained and flew missions during WWII trying to protect China from the Japanese. The nearby mountains reach 18,000 feet and were a beautiful setting for Shangri-La in Lost Horizon. This area is also the headwaters for the Yangtze River.

We visited the home of Dr. Joseph Rock, and American self-taught botanist who went to Lijiang in 1922 to search for an herbal cure for leprosy. He stayed on to study the thousands of plant species in the area and to take photographs for National Geographic.

During a full day touring around Lijiang we stopped at other interesting spots. An Embroidery School allowed us to see how they are trying to keep this old art alive. Then there was a stop at a farming village where the ladies were buying handmade hoes while the men sat around visiting. 

This is where I took a good picture of the type of engine on two wheels such as the ones we saw in 1982. They can be hooked to many different tools like wagons, plows, and here – to a pick-up. While they are no longer the predominant source of motor power they used to be and they still exist in farm areas. Another stop was for a stroll around the “Black Dragon Pool” lake and museum of Naxi cultural art and history.

In the evening we had a chance to walk through the old town as we went to and from dinner. This is a town where I would have loved to stay a few more days. Unfortunately, due to a canceled afternoon flight the next day, we had to leave in the morning to fly on to Kunming.

 

Kunming, July 9-11

Kunming is the capital city of Yunnan Province with a population of about 7 million; 13% minority - the majority are Han. We arrived shortly after noon following an hour-long flight from Lijiang. Since we were not supposed to arrive until evening, we ended up having a free afternoon, which we used doing laundry and resting. In the evening we had the option of attending a cultural show, which turned out to be fabulous.

July 10 was a full day outing to visit the Stone Forest, about 75 miles from town. This is a large area of karst rock formations that look like stalagmites and petrified trees – hence its name. Since 2007 parts of the area have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

These formations were caused by limestone being dissolved away over millions of years. At one time this area was under water and you can see coral and other fossils. It has been uplifted to its current elevation; near 6,000 feet. Walking through this area took several hours and around each turn there were new and unusual features. It is a major tourist attraction for Chinese and some internationals.

After a late lunch, and on the drive back to Kunming, we stopped at a farming village of the old style. Sally used this time, as we walked through, to share how the community council structure works. Although the Chinese people do not have much say about politics at the national level, they do control their own community and monitor everyone’s compliance with the rules and regulations.

In the evening we walked around the area near the hotel with a stop at Starbucks. In the same shopping area were Nike and Adidas stores and an Apple Store, which looked authentic. It wasn’t until shortly after we got home that we read it was one of several unauthorized stores in China. Hmmmmm…

During the last morning in Kunming we visited a lovely park and lake. Many people were using the area to stroll, do Tai Chi, sit and visit, and practice ballroom dancing. 

We had a noon flight to Chongqing where we would board the riverboat for our three-day downstream cruise on the Yangtze River.

 


That's it for now. Grace and Paul