Yangtze River Three Gorges Dam Cruise - Travel With Kids Yangtze River China - Full Episode

we're taking a cruise in the Yangtze billed as one of the most incredible natural wonders of Asia and drastically changing due to a controversial dam project the Yangtze River snakes through three massive gorges in eastern central China it slips here about 3,000 feet tall and we're out to discover all the culture and history in this storied heart of China along the way meet lots of local discover life along the river both ancient guys are pulling the boat our boat with the road with us in it and modern we on the higher side of the dam so to get to the lower side they empty water while warned it our boat lowers down and learned some Chinese please say this in Chinese plot array trick plus find out what the kids are counting up to I'm Nathan and I'm Janice and we're mom and dad we're traveling around the world discovering amazing countries new cultures and really wild experiences together come along with us as we learn all about our planet and about being together as a family as we discover the wonders of the world the wonders of nature and sometimes wonder what were we thinking is travel with kids flowing almost 4000 miles from the wild snowdrifts of the Tibetan Plateau to the East China Sea at Shanghai the yangzi is China's lifeblood providing water for farming and transportation for goods and people up and down the river in the who Bay province of Eastern central China the river snakes through the infamous three river gorges where tall green cliffs meet traditional culture to provide amazing scenery this legendary scenery part of ancient China is now changing with a recent construction of the Three Gorges Dam water levels have risen and life has changed to what extent we intend to find out as we head west out of Shanghai by train to the departure point for the three River gorges cruises Chongqing our 36-hour train journey into the fertile heartland of China departs from Shanghai with its modern skyscrapers and neon lights Shanghai provides a major contrast to what lies ahead if you are traveling by train in China be sure to purchase your tickets well ahead of time as berths tend to fill up we bought our tickets before we left through ACP rail calm there are several classes of service we opted for first class which has four bed cabins with locking doors but there's also second class which has six beds and is open to the corridor and soft seat and hard seat sections depending on the train train travel is a fantastic adventure for kids you have a sort of base of operations and comfort with beds a table and a built-in entertainment system the window plus kids don't have to be strapped in like a car or airplane and because it's public transportation you sure get a chance to meet the locals after finding our cabin we all get settled in for our two-day journey to Chongqing step on the grill pedal and there's like all these bars and you just watch yourself often you're sitting in your bed before boarding the Train it's a good idea to stock up on snacks love cookies more crackers there is a dining car on board but the menu might not always sit well with little ones something strange tasting for speed very excite and as with travel in most foreign countries you do need to be careful with what you eat especially on long trips you don't want to get sick yes you want eat soup we usually stay away from raw vegetables and things that may have come in contact with local water supply and of course we bring our own bottled water they do have hot water available on the train for tea and soups but the source is not always reliable hot water that we can't drink we bring plenty of activities to keep the kids entertained and keep the entire family engaged I built this flag out of marbles on Chinese checkers and you can like do stuff to it cards now book and everything's really cheap here so it's very easy to get farm activity this is great time to turn off the gadgets and spend real family time kind of like a camping trip on wheels after we all get settled in the boys wander out into the hall to meet our neighbors there are no other foreigners around so we're quite the attraction for the locals most of whom do not speak much English how are you but that doesn't stop the kids from making new friends I I always try to have the kids learn at least a few words of the language spoken in our destination but Chinese proves a little hard and I'm not sure we're saying everything right Seamus the kids seem to understand each other either way Oh 1010 and u88 can they teach one another some of their own language like numbers you see this is shiny sway sway weight water right shake sure it water and body parts Cho Chinese training toe in China are you Joshua gal Jin what you do and most important words like how to say spongebob in Chinese hi me and Bob the train has a very lively feel with passengers congregating in hallways sellers walking by with carts of goodies and the kids are eager to check out the rest of the Train and everyone breaks into great smiles when the kids greet them in Chinese and practice what little English they speak America and China how old are you and we try to speak Chinese to the delight and sometimes laughter of the locals and while was a bit crowded and chaotic as we pick our way through the cars we always feel safe and it adds to the fun and excitement of the journey and allows us to meet lots of locals but we would not have had the chance to meet had we flown train travel in any country is an exotic travel experience but in China it's something really special you may feel out of your comfort zone at first but that's where the magic happens true travel experiences and the stories you share when you get home are made when you're interacting with the locals as you get to do on the train after a good night's sleep in our cozy compartment and it's really easy to sleep because the Train rocks you we spend the morning soaking in the views of China as they race past our window it's very unusual to be able to look at your bedroom window and see China bright green field spread out in every direction punctuated by farmers bumping down muddy roads all right feel this kind of it's a lot of it looks like grass and but it's tall grass like this talks and it's filled like half of the grass is covered by water baby girl river baby DUP we also witnessed firsthand the massive pace of growth China has undertaken recently it seems every few miles a huge brand new modern city of skyscrapers and condos new bridges new dams tunnels and brand new cities are popping up all over the place day 2 on the train flies by at some of the station stops were allowed to get out stretch our legs buy some snacks at the station markets there's chicken feet give up potato chips and peanuts but be sure to watch the other passengers when they get back on you get back on quickly you don't want to get left behind here the kids like experimenting a bit with the local cuisine like Chinese food and hospice like dried and then they put boiled water in it and like everybody has them which one should be my tip and snacks like the chips we bought at the station doesn't taste like I say but we sure are glad to have some comfort food from home as well as the train nears Chongqing we gather in the hallways once again then Nathan finds a new friend who's got an interesting take on English tomato hey stop copying me the cop as night falls we've arrived in the modern city of Chongqing on a waterfront glowing and new neon a porter helps us with our luggage via a traditional bamboo pole and were ferried down to the boat bifur Nick Euler a tram like elevator our Yangzi River experience begins with sanctuary cruises ms Yangtze explore a modern luxury cruise surrounded by traditional Chinese experiences onboard were welcomed like VIPs with a tour of the suite which has sweeping views over the harbour you'll be enjoying nothing only on Center this ship has the largest cabinet suites on the river with all private balconies this morning the boat arrives in fengdu and after the kids play scavenger hunt on the boat with the crew MS Yangtze Explorer has lots of kids activities terracotta warrior with items to find that teach them about the history and culture of China in America we all head out on a tour of the city the smaller size of the ship allows for a more intimate experience and the shore excursions are much smaller groups known as the ghost city because of the eastern Han Dynasty officials Ian and Wang who according to legend lived eternal life here fengdu is known for its temples over 40 of them many dedicated to the undead but a newer attraction and Fang do caught our attention with the construction of the dam the waters on the Yangtze have risen significantly causing the relocation of millions of people because of the dead cause of the three gorges projects do the older city has been demolished in Fang do we have the opportunity to visit an old house and a new house of relocated people to meet the people and see how it has affected their lives we start our tour with a visit to a traditional house they have been living here for nearly 40 years 40 years for their will year so you can see this is very old house that is play and they made it make it all out of them where the elderly head of the house shows us around it's a small house with dirt floors they do not have running water but they do have electricity even they have a TV but life is still very traditional here and nausea farmers you know the embalmer so yes doing many fun work they gather wood and grind their own grain using traditional tools Oh Buki they see you the differences in the modern house are huge it's definitely newer and bigger were sleeping here so this is the bedroom for the lady and for her husband and that is available for sound and a daughter-in-law and that one cut is for super strong stable with a private room for the whole family plus an extra room there's even running water electricity this family lives in this relocated house which is actually situated above their store juice she says she is happy with the new modern surroundings they need a better big house as Spacey speakers big house however she does miss the old neighborhood to miss you so much you miss him so much she's specially missing and the neighbors he has a very friend today and now you know when they are relocated is a non-leap separates some neighbors and families that live together for generations have been split up while providing for more space and modern amenities the newer neighborhoods have lost a bit of that charm and historical significance and the culture of their older counterparts but as we head to the nearby market it seems like it jump back in time with old women selling vegetables and stands filled with every part of the pig you can imagine that the town of the pink in the air ball I think I'll just stick to potato chips near the noodle stands they get an idea of how glass noodles are made and the steaming smells of simmering spices entices them to try a helping but the tour is leaving and it's back to the boat after lunch we retire to our rooms for some R&R with two bedrooms the spacious suite offers plenty of room for all of us and the balconies provide a perfect place to sit and watch life on the Yangtze River go by in the afternoon language lessons show us why it's so hard to learn Chinese there are four different other nations Jia the second is rising ah the third is a ten and four the first one just go down ah oh oh Oh wha me Gracie uh-huh how about in the third one cup say how are you me how ma that's really smart police a phone the one say I want a hot dog I want uncle door Xiao Qian cheats thing and the evening winds up with happy hour in the lounge where we all get to meet the other passengers then we head for dinner the MS Yangtze Explorer dining room is fantastic with local dishes and kids favorites this morning we wake up to stunning views of tall lush cliffs as we pass through the first Gorge we see where historical tractions have had to be relocated or recreated because of the rising water we're going to raise the water up and so before that they had duplicated some of those things up higher plate and it's from the saltonstone dynasty the kids enjoy the views of the high cliffs you know how tall these cliffs are 3,000 feet tall that's same that's like three Empire State building's stacked on top of each other yeah and as we glide through the gorge snaking our way around deep bends in the river the kids wonder about how long this river is it's quiz time are you ready to war take a cruise in the yangzi its third longest river in the world do you know the two rivers that are longer kids hey the 9p the Amazon and see the rod if you picked the Nile or the Amazon you are correct deserve those longer than nice Yankee before we enter the second gorge the ship stops so that we can board smaller boats to explore the three little gorges we are met by an english-speaking guide from one of the many minority groups that inhabit this province in this area there are 14 minority Saturday - gia meal I'm going to bet minorities it is neighbor occlusal to me what are you yeah and she tells us about how the dam has affected this area in flooding season from June to September the water is in order to 145 meters above the sea level in order to prepare for the heavy submarines and at the end of October the water is reached back to 175 metres above the sea level will allow to maximum in the full power generation and the villagers got flooded during the summer before the dam yeah many villages many tones many older houses you will see many white houses on both banks of this river and they are resettlement a result of madness their old houses were made of Earth and the cities were fabulous tile beyond as we travel past the soaring green cliffs she tells us about the geology and points out different shaped rocks and features and the kids are particularly interested in the animals that live in the gorgeous sometimes we can see many monkeys climbing on the rock and then you can see the big is the cave that the swallow cave because there were thousands of god-fearin swallows rest on the top of the cave I see why it's called the K the swallows kind of looks like a mouth like this and even out here in what feels like the far reaches of rural China modern progress intrudes I see a giant range it's a bunch of pillars with cranes on it further on in the gorges we are transferred to an even smaller traditional style boat and paddled upstream by the famous Yangtze boat trackers it's called a sand pan and there's guys rolling with one sticks ah they have to roll it look at this guy he's rolling with a stick look how hard he's rolling and modern progress fades into ancient looking china whoa look at that rope bridge click Pirates of the Caribbean row Pretoria runs across with the bamboo stick we're racing that boat and while they're paddling is impressive what these boat tractors are really known for is their pulling originally found along the main river the yangzi tractors were hired to pull boats and cargo upstream through the raging currents however since the dam has calmed the currents and motors were introduced to the boats to propel them upstream the trackers have found work pulling smaller boats along the narrow canyons and the tributaries when the water gets shallow the trackers get out and pull the boat over the bumpy waters our guides are pulling our boat up with ropes up a very strong current and we're like on rapid class-1 so it's like really and when we reached the top were swept back down by the quick current side yen the scenery is amazing in the little gorgeous the moist cliffs are covered in plant lifes in all shades of green a waterfall one totally check his guides things to us as we drift back down the river her sweet voice wafting eerily down the canyons the trackers join her in song an image straight from the storybooks of old China could all fairytales must come to an end and before we knew it we've reached the main Yangtze River back on our ship the kids find plenty of activities to keep them engaged like Tai Chi bingo and mask painting it's art and in no time we reach the attraction everyone along the river has been talking about the Three Gorges Dam tomorrow we'll get a better view of it from the east side but before we do that we must cross it the three river gorges dam is massive the sheer size is overwhelming our boat is dwarfed by the scale of the pillars concrete and machinery all around us I'm going to love interesting which is a bow elevator there's a dam and then the water is low on the other side you go in this box with doors in front of you and behind you filled with water go in it over here while it's high and then they release a lot of water so the water goes down then the doors on the other side open so you come out and it's low we fit into one of the lock intake areas with many other ships all bobbing around like toy boats in the lock we tie up the sides and we have lots of company there are other tourist boats cargo boats the boat wall going by us and the water little pins that you put a rope on and then he tired and as soon as the doors closed the water level begins to drop at 1:00 it's a little bit of the water from the old part of the yangzi still coming through the doors and it's making a small waterfall but as we sink it's making a bigger distance from the waterfall and it looks like the waterfall is actually growing by the time we exit the dam it's time for dinner and tonight is traditional Chinese night on the boat so the staff and guests on Chinese costumes and gather for a yummy dinner and a wonderful show we awake this morning on the other side of the dam and a tasty breakfast including American and Chinese favorites dragon fruit from a dragon tree and after breakfast it's finally time to check out the dam itself so we load up on buses and head out to the three river gorges dam Museum a huge park surrounds the area where we can look at the dam firsthand and get a sense of what it took to build this thing at one-and-a-half miles wide and 600 feet tall the three River gorges dam is one of the largest dams in the world there are many ongoing studies still looking at the impacts of the dam and the submerging of over a thousand important historical sites as well as many environmental problems that have come with the slowing waters on the upside the hydroelectric power generated by the dam can offer as much power as 18 nuclear power plants providing the much-needed electricity to a huge portion of China inside the circle-k used it which is projects after learning all about the Three Gorges Dam it's time to head through the rest of the third Gorge where traditional style buildings an old fisherman provide a stark contrast to the modern marvel of the dam and as I watch the boat maneuver through the tall green cliffs and glimpse the faces of farmers who have come down from the fields to the muddy river I think about the many contrasts we've encountered on our journey along the yangzi old houses versus new and fengdu changing jobs for trackers in the little gorges and traditional life versus modern architecture near the dam and I feel grateful for the chance to witness at firsthand before the story book pages fade to a new era of Chinese existence

Channel: Travel With Kids TV

Views: 90,493

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Id: uA7Cfl6Y4dI

Length: 28min 50sec (1730 seconds)

Published: Tue Oct 23 2012