We started the day with Dim Sum at 8am at Dian Dou De Canton is known for its Dim Sum and Dian Dou De locally so. Also famous for its snake and scorpion soup, although we gave that a miss Dim Sum was similar to London though prawns bigger in Har Kow, Siu Mei, and …

Spent the night in a “cheap hotel”, (Travelodge style) near the next station. Remarkably good £28 for double room. Bed comfortable (compared to hard cruise bed) and excellent shower. Breakfast was ok but bland Chinese food, rice, vegetables and congee We have enjoyed trying to spot local dialects… This morning some domestic tourists swarmed the …

We started the day disembarking early for a 4hr transfer and tour of the 3 Gorges Dam, into thick fog (couldn’t see the shore whilst docked!) It mostly cleared into haze, apparently it rains up to 80% of days here (hence the Yangtze, the dam and local tea growing) The dam project to me was …

Cruised circa 100km overnight but very misty foggy today so limited views Interspersed along the river are these towns/cities, many stemming from towns cleared/flooded by the dam construction Another temple! Ghost temple is quite famous throughout China Met other English speakers, Norwegian Mauritian, Pole and German. The guides were funny (!). All had mics and …

Currently wandering around trying to find the old streets After a big downpour we found coffee the the “old streets”. Rather invaded by tourist shops but I guess the nature of the hillside and intrinsic buildings remain even if reconstructed. Being wooden reminiscent of alpine village! Initially went to Shibati district going down then Shan …

Agenda: Self guided walking tour of city/meander. 1949 cultural show this evening Very overcast/misty today with risk of thundery showers. Oh well Prices: food very cheap. Full meals 20-30Yuan (£3) yesterday’s feast 138 Yuan (£14) for two. Only fruit is relatively expensive, closer to UK prices for apple and oranges Taxi (Didi) very cheap today …

A relatively easy day today We’d slept badly, no Aircon and overheated but they immediately moved us across the way to a much cooler room. Weather was better, clearing after haze yesterday and temperatures up to 27 Coffee at Luckin Coffee shop. Should have been easy but all through Alipay in Chinese (no counter options). …

Arrived at station “statutory” 1.5hrs ahead of departure. 2mins through baggage scan and ticket (passport) check and now sitting in echoing waiting hall for 1hr 28 minutes! Observations on transport: sitting in BYD taxi, noticed screen showed a rolling road image, with zebra crossing markings. Also graphics of cars and bikes in real time as …

NB I’ve managed to edit and upload the “ghost wall” video, at the bottom of day 6 page Pingyao is an ancient city, walled, in Shanxi, founded in the Qin period (200BC) though existed in 1000BC but has a history dating more than 2800 years, It became a major regional financial hub around the 16th …

Early start 4.30 though checked alarm through the night. Fast taxi to empty station so sitting waiting for 1.5hrs. The landscape surrounding Beijing is pancake flat entirely arable cultivated. Smallish fields with uniform young green planting, not padi? Young wheat/corn? Further on graduated to barren rocky hills, with large areas covered with randomly placed solar …