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Yangtse Towns

Yangtse Towns

We visited many towns along the Yangtse. Almost all of them upstream of the dam will be destroyed. Some are already being razed. New housing is being built up the hill. Sometimes the new housing scares me as it reminds me of housing projects.

The existing towns are often terrible. In fact, if it weren't for the popularity of Three Gorges Tourism, they would probably not be available for tourists to visit, as the Chinese don't want tourists to see their underside. Yet many of the families have lived in these homes for as much as 400 years, and they are being evicted to poorer land.

It is surreal to walk through these towns and know they will all be destroyed next year. While they wanted people to get out and go uphill, the towns are still bustling.

Path to the hilltop in Fengdu, the ghost city. Soon to become a real ghost city.
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Path to the hilltop in Fengdu, the ghost city. Soon to become a real ghost city.
This town will survive as they build a wall around it
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This town will survive as they build a wall around it
Some of the buildings to be demolished are definitely quite ratty, but folks are still living in them.
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Some of the buildings to be demolished are definitely quite ratty, but folks are still living in them.
Tired tourists can pay $4 to be taken up the steps in a litter.
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Tired tourists can pay $4 to be taken up the steps in a litter.
This man ties his duck to his motorcycle. One way to keep a duck.
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This man ties his duck to his motorcycle. One way to keep a duck.
Making pancakes on a doomed street. They don't want to leave
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Making pancakes on a doomed street. They don't want to leave
Farmland on the way to the lesser 3 gorges
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Farmland on the way to the lesser 3 gorges
Produce is traded on the street
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Produce is traded on the street
Doomed street scene by the doomed farmer's market
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Doomed street scene by the doomed farmer's market
It's all going
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It's all going
In Wushan, a
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In Wushan, a "full service" barber shop where the "barber" of your choice doesn't always cut your hair. Note that real haircuts in china all offer a great upper body massage, though not the full service. Taken from a moving bus and brightened.
Steps up in Fengdu
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Steps up in Fengdu
This whole town is to be flooded
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This whole town is to be flooded
Closer view of waterfront
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Closer view of waterfront
Some new projects up the hill for the evacuated
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Some new projects up the hill for the evacuated
Ships are built on the land, ready to rise when the water does.
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Ships are built on the land, ready to rise when the water does.
Family walks over the trail of coal left by moving it to barges
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Family walks over the trail of coal left by moving it to barges
Coal mine right in the side of the riverbank.
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Coal mine right in the side of the riverbank.
Workers loading on the river shore
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Workers loading on the river shore
Pollution blocks view of the new buildings
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Pollution blocks view of the new buildings
Making noodles in the morning on the street.
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Making noodles in the morning on the street.
This ordinary street still bustles a year before its demolition.
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This ordinary street still bustles a year before its demolition.
Funeral wreaths from vegetables.
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Funeral wreaths from vegetables.
Motorcycle with sidecar in Fengdu'
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Motorcycle with sidecar in Fengdu'
Street in Fengdu
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Street in Fengdu
Cutting Tofu in the morning
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Cutting Tofu in the morning
The expression on her face seemed to speak of the plight of the town
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The expression on her face seemed to speak of the plight of the town
Sellers prepare for market
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Sellers prepare for market
She seems happy to sell me some of these roots
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She seems happy to sell me some of these roots
Farmer's market of Fengdu
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Farmer's market of Fengdu
K. calls the USA on a doomed phone.
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K. calls the USA on a doomed phone.
The Buddha will survive and become an island.
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The Buddha will survive and become an island.
Chinese children always greet every tourist with a cheerful
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Chinese children always greet every tourist with a cheerful "Hello!!!"
Bridge at the temple
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Bridge at the temple
Cable car to the temple of the round eyed devils.
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Cable car to the temple of the round eyed devils.
Cable car going down.
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Cable car going down.
At the top. Alas we had little time.
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At the top. Alas we had little time.
The entire town will be destroyed
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The entire town will be destroyed
More of the doomed ghost city of Fengdu
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More of the doomed ghost city of Fengdu
All those buildings have gardens everywhere.
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All those buildings have gardens everywhere.
Some of the temple, looking down from the cable car]
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Some of the temple, looking down from the cable car]
Detail on the giant Buddha on the hill
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Detail on the giant Buddha on the hill
The old waterfront, soon to be underwaterfront.
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The old waterfront, soon to be underwaterfront.
This shipyard will go
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This shipyard will go
People live in the buildings long after being evicted.
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People live in the buildings long after being evicted.
The new town, on the other side of the river, can barely be seen through the haze. Even after pollution removal, it's too noisy.
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The new town, on the other side of the river, can barely be seen through the haze. Even after pollution removal, it's too noisy.
Some of the to be destroyed factories that caused the pollution
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Some of the to be destroyed factories that caused the pollution
The wall that will preserve this town is being built.
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The wall that will preserve this town is being built.
Better shot of the wall that will hold back the lake.
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Better shot of the wall that will hold back the lake.
Cable stay bridges are the most common on the river.
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Cable stay bridges are the most common on the river.
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