Everywhere you look China's massive recent and ongoing investment in infrastructure is evident. We see Beijing's new airport (open one month) and the airport at Wuhan (also open only one month). We see new apartment blocks, new landmark high-rise office structures, new highways, new rail facilities and terminals. And none of these are slapdash efforts. These are modern, attractive, carefully thought out structures incorporating the latest architectural design concepts. In Beijing, on a clear day (?), there are more than 100 construction cranes poking into the sky. Our Beijing guide, Amy, told us they will all be gone in June. I doubt it, but here in China I think almost anything may be possible.
The portion of our trip after the Yangtzee cruise is still somewhat up in the air due to the effects of the massive and tragic recent earthquake centered northwest of Chengdu. Chengdu airport has reopened but there is concern regarding several dams. Landslides have blocked rivers creating lakes which, when they break through, could threaten some dams. They are in the process of draining reservoirs behind some of the dams to accomodate the expected surge. The government is concerned about the safety of tourists and may force another change of itinerary if they deem the Chongquin/Chengdu/Dazu portion of our tour to be unsafe.
We are pictured here with Madame LeFloch, propriétaire of our favorite Paris hotel, the Hôtel des Grandes Écoles, 5th arr., métro: Cardinale Lemoine.
Walkin' the Waterways
Eileen and Bob on a bridge near the Rialto