May 31

Rainy and dreary. Put a damper on the whole day. Got off the boat anyway, took a bus to the dam site. Saw a model of the whole facility which was impressive, it just shows how expansive the whole project is. Saw the lock system from the road, but it doesn’t look as big as when you are actually in it. Mainly just looked at things through the wet bus windows, as getting soaked in the rain wasn’t anyone’s cup of tea.

Back to the boat where we all changed from wet clothes, and took naps. Then it was lunch time and Elizabeth must have telepathic powers, because just that morning she had wished for hamburgers and French fries and there they were on the buffet table! So that was uplifting. Then I took another nap (the rocking motion of the boat probably helped).

We finally got off the boat around 1 pm, and since our flight wasn’t until 6 pm they decided to give us a filler activity. While normally we would be happy to have something better to do than sit in an airport for hours, the weather had everyone’s fuse shortened, and no one wanted to do anything. Especially what they had us end up doing. We stopped by at this research facility type thing, that works with Chinese sturgeons. Apparently their caviar is a top product of this city (Yicheng) the other top products being hydroelectric power (hello DAM) and tangerines. So the Chinese sturgeon lives in the ocean, but then it makes the trek up the river to spawn. The dams blocked their journey, and China was finding dead and injured fish near the dam sites. So they decided to help the sturgeons out. They catch them, and move them to a nearby lake, and also artificially inseminate them, and then return them to the river (after stealing some caviar). They’ve apparently “returned” about 3 million sturgeons, since the 1980s. So at this facility we basically just looked at a bunch of fish tanks. Riveting stuff people.

Back on the bus, make it to airport, sat around for an hour or so. Quick flight to Shanghai, and short bus ride to yet another pimp Howard Johnson. The rooms aren’t as huge, but the décor is ritzier, and the view is excellent. I’d say Shanghai is Europe meets New York and Vegas. There are these very oddly placed buildings that are built in an older western style, then major high rises, and tons of lights and billboards. Dinner in the hotel was excellent. It was carnivore heaven. You could pick different raw meats that they would cook (chicken, beef, lamb, fish), but a number of cooked meats were already available (salmon that was delicious, some beef dish, chicken curry, etc). Also a cutting board station with prime rib, garlic bread, baked potatoes and toppings, various breads, fruits, and salads, and then a dessert area (crème brulee, tiramisu, pecan pie, chocolate fountain, and about 10 ice cream flavors). It was fabulous. Too bad I forgot my camera for that part.

People decided to go out since we have a late morning tomorrow (just lectures all day) but I’ve got three weeks here, so I’m taking it slow. Internet is expensive, so you're getting all these posts in one blow.