Steve Perrin:
Hello from Lijiang!
We’re on our first full day in Lijiang and today
we traveled to Tiger Leaping Gorge and also went to the
first bend of the Yangtze River. This area of the river
is rich in history from days of Kubla Kahn through today.
The gorge is an area of astonishing beauty, much like
this whole country we’re traveling through. Of course,
the people make the country and the people of China have
been enthusiastic hosts and have welcomed us warmly. Today,
we’ll hear from Nikki, a senior who lives in Putney,
Vermont.
Nikki Doyle:
After a breakfast of rice oatmeal and noodles, it was
off to Tiger Leaping Gorge. On the three hour drive to
the gorge, I learned that it takes a lot of talent to
be a bus driver; the narrow streets and winding roads
require much swerving, braking and horn-honking. Driving
through the Yunnan countryside is amazing. Passing by
field after field, the occasional cow, stray chicken,
and mountains in the distance (one of which, I learned,
is a dead volcano) kind of reminds me of Vermont and makes
me miss home a little bit.
There was a long walk through the gorge, most of which
was underneath a cliff. There were tunnels lit only by
candles and to the left of the path was a drop straight
down into the raging river. While enjoying the scenery,
I also learned that the Chinese are fascinated by Americans.
They constantly engaged us, very eager to have their picture
taken with us. We had lunch at a restaurant not far from
the gorge, and marveled at the mountain-filled backdrop.
Afterwards, we went back to the hotel and freshened ourselves
before shopping in the Old Town. We were able to practice
our bargaining skills while learning that some of us need
some work. While waiting for the teachers, we played a
game of Uno, and were watched with fascination by passing
locals and had more pictures taken with locals. Dinner
was delicious, and the restaurant staff was eager to please
us. They even made us a heart-shaped potato cake topped
with scallions.
It’s hard to believe that we’ve been in China
less than one week; it seems like we’ve been here
for a long time. I find it hard to remember what exactly
I did before coming here, but I’m having the time
of my life. While I miss home and at times wish I was
snuggling into my own bed, I also wish I would never have
to leave this country.
It is common for the Chinese to ask to
have photos taken with Americans. You can see a portion
of our group happy to oblige!
