Overseas Immersion Programme: Day Seventeen.

Morning call from the sound system was given at around 0600 to inform everyone that the breakfast was ready. So that people will proceed their way to level 2. We went off the cruise after eating and sat 万达汽车to 关音阁. We were guided to enter a temple for short prayer by a monk and were asked to offer joss sticks to the Buddha. We had to walk and climb a flight of stairs in order to reach 白帝城 which was the temple of the White Emperor. There was another alternative if you did not want to climb, is that you just have to pay about 60RMB and men will carried you up using an ancient method of chair which is made up of bamboos. Walked around the place and our tour guide told us a lot of historical stuffs that was related to those paintings, drawings, statues and etc which is filled with those ancient stories for instance, during those dynasty, 三国演义. We went back to the cruise for lunch. Meanwhile, while waiting for the 4 hours to pass, we went to the upper deck to view the natural of the 3 Gorges. We witnessed all the Gorges and were busy snapping photos of it as we were told that, the best shot is at one of the gorges, which is also printed behind the note of the 10RMB. Soon after, we boarded another boat to bring us to 神农溪 to take a wooden sampan for a ride along the stream. The boat trackers are of all ages, the oldest is around 80 years old and the youngest is around 18 years old. They have to leave their home early in the morning to earn a living. And this hard work they put in, earned them 600RMB. Not to forget, the tour guide told us that, we have to address each other as “HuoJi” there. So, everyone was cheering for their boat trackers as they were like competing with one another. They were smiling away while paddling. Returned to 金太阳 for dinner and were told that we will be crossing the first dam at around 2200. To our dismay, after waiting for about 2 to 3 hours, we didn’t manage to catch the whole process of it. At the first gate, we were about 170m but when come to the fifth gate which is the last one, we were be about 60m or even lesser. Our lecturer somehow explains how the process works: the gate open for the ship to enter, water level will start to decrease. So after passing each gate, the water level gets lower and lower. After that, we gathered at one room and watched movies.

Singapore is our homeland; this is where we belong. Treasuring our heritage like how the China government did. They paid the native 600RMB to actually keep the heritage alive. Likewise, Singapore actually conserves Pulau Ubin, had also built some other museums. This can allow future generations to learn more about their own country. Feel that, the locals really have to work very hard to earn a living or they will use all sorts of methods to earn extra income but they didn’t complain. For instance, the men had to carry their customers up all the way to the main gate of 白帝城, it’s already tiring for us to climb, let aside of carrying someone up. Also, the native people living in 神农溪, the kids had to work when they are free to earn extra income. Feeling fortunate that, we only had to concentrate on our studies and there’s apparently nothing for us to worry. We can see that they are panting and they got the “never give up” spirit. They take pride in shaping their own unique way life and seem to be happy with their simple life. This is another thing we can learn from them.

The pictures are in order, unless or otherwise stated.