I scarfed down some hotel breakfast quickly before we headed to our 8:30 train from Enshi City to Chongqing. Our bus ride to the station was short and bittersweet, as we were parting ways with Michael, our steadfast local guide for the last ten days, and our preeminent bus driving, having led us down the windiest of roads safely so far. Michael gave us the farewell gift of a song—a full rendition, a cappella, of the Carpenters’ “Yesterday Once More.” It sunk in that our trip was at that point much closer to ending than beginning.
We managed to stay together as we made it through the train station, where we were lucky enough to have first-class sleepers. They were six to a compartment, three on each side. I got a bottom bunk, away from the rest of the group, thinking I’d be joined but some other passengers. It turned out I had the compartment to myself the whole way. I spent a long time looking at the window. It was one of the clearest days we’d had so far, and incredibly bright and sunny. We passed villages nestled between mountains covered in pines. We’d spend a few minutes in the light, but then plunge back into a tunnel, which would also last minutes at a time, as we passed underneath thousands of tons of rock.
After we arrived, we met our local guide Windy, and went by bus to our lunch spot. Delphi, a Vassar alum of class of ’23, and his friend George, arrived while we were eating. They would show us around the city for the next two days we were there. We all shed layers, as it was beautiful and 70 degrees out. Windy led us to one of the city’s most famous spots, where the mono-rail subway goes through a commercial building. We were dropped off at Liziba Station, right by the bank of the Jialing River, which intersects with the Yangtze in the city center. We walked through the crowd to wait and see the train pass through the buildings, and then reconvened to get on ourselves. We rode to the Zoo stop, where our hotel was just a short walk from, and where the bus was waiting for our luggage.
Students and faculty were given the rest of the afternoon free! Groups splintered off to do as they wished. Many rested, a group went with George who showed them his favorite parts of the city, and some of the older ones, some went to the Zoo (pandas!) and others strolled by themselves, exploring and shopping. I went with a few others in search of a nail salon. At first we had trouble finding it, but we entered through a butcher’s storefront, which led us upstairs to a gigantic indoor shopping mall. We three finished our nail appointment just in time to get to dinner at the Wudu Hotel, kindly organized by Delphi. It was a beautiful meal! There was much toasting, and Delphi explained that that banquet hall was often used by Chinese politicians and diplomats. He said that the hotel likely runs at a loss, but will remain in business because it hosts such clientele. It felt cool, bizarre and uncomfortable all at once to eat in a place like that.
After we finished, George and Delphi took a group of us to Enling Park, where they said we would see one of the best views anywhere of Chongqing. It was free entry, and there were quite a few people in the park, despite it being late. We spent ages up there, marveling at how expansive and beautiful the city looked at night.
