China-2023: decompression – on the Fuyi River.

Happy New Year, folks!…

“But… it’s January 9 already”, I imagine some of you, dear readers, are thinking. Quick explanation to those who may be new to these here blog-pages: the first week of any New Year in Russia is always a week-off for most of the country – seven or eight or nine bank-holiday days in a row. And this year was no exception. Thus, here we are – just into the first working week of the year…

And my first post of the year: a continuation of where I left of (notwithstanding my 2023 review) – in my tales-from-the-Chinese-side series, naturally. Not that there are many posts left: just a couple or so, but finish the series I must, so here we are. Today’s post, as its title suggests, is about our traditional post-tourism-till-you-drop – a short period of winding down and chilling out: this time on a leisurely cruise upon the Fuyi River, which runs through the previously posted-about Mount Langshan National Geological Park…

Our river cruise was made on two of these here faux-bamboo rafts (though ones of actual bamboo do exist; at least, they did back in 2017 when I saw a few (in Linjang)) ->

The views from the rafts – remarkable:

As per – map-on-brown:

Just 12km of “drifting length”, and no rapids anywhere:

As we were used to just after Golden Week: hardly any tourists at all. We were alone on the river; in all the pics I’ve found on the net there are several rafts on the go simultaneously…

Curiously, the rafts’ outboard motors are all electric; accordingly – no noise at all, and none of that fuel smell you get with a traditional motor. The resulting peace and quiet only adds to the enjoyment!

All aboard? And we’re off (straight into some riffles)! ->

I do love a spot of rafting. Sure, there’s the adrenaline version (like you get in Russia’s Altai region), which of course is great fun, but there’s also the relaxed – even meditative – version, like what we had here:

I wonder if our rafts scared the fish away? Probably; but the fishermen didn’t let on: they too must have been in meditative mode:

It was so bereft of tourists here that the reflections on the water were in places near mirror-perfect:

Aaaah! ->

Occasional modern-kunst-esque rock formations appear on the banks:

Here’s the best view to be had, without a doubt: with the “General” on the horizon ->

Check out the (stood-to-attention) General’s military parade tunic and epaulettes! ->

At the General’s feet – plenty of lighting installations: no doubt he looks even more dashing at night all lit up. Alas, we couldn’t hang about to see…

From the side – the military-parade pomp/formality vanishes! ->

And that was that for our spot of meditative river-rafting. Ooh – and that was that for our spot of inner-China tourism (there remains just the post-scriptum post all about eats and lodgings – coming up shortly)…

The rest of the photos from our China-2023 trip are here.