China, Yachting on the Yangtze: Chapter 1

Chapter 1

            Viking River Cruises has the largest passenger ship on the Yangtze River.  The Viking Century Sun was launched in 2006.  The controversy over the construction of the Three Gorges Dam Project on this river with its impact on the scenery above the dam prompted Gordon to consider seeing the area before it is completely flooded.

            February sale prices in the 2008 brochure made our journey reasonable.  Luckily we signed in February with an incentive package.  Our departure to the airport at 4AM was brutal.  We have a 4 hour layover in Toronto and then 14 ½ hour flight on Air Canada.  The executive class was worth the bizarre booking by Viking Cruises to Toronto and the 4 hour layover.  Air Canada employs the seat configuration at diagonals allowing total reclining for each upgraded passenger.  We left Toronto at 1:00PM and flew thru the night arriving in Shanghai at 3:30pm the next afternoon.   Our hotel, St. Regis, is a typical large 5 star business hotel for tours offering excellent quality but nothing exceptional. Read more…