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I grew up by the Yangtze River. Recently, I returned home.

I'd taken two cruises exploring the magnificent Three Gorges in the 1990s.

And I've taken several - very different - trips through the region since I returned three years ago.

Indeed, the scenery of the gorges - Qutang, Wu and Xiling - have transformed since the world's largest dam was completed in 2006, raising the water level to 175 meters.

People refer to the area as the "new Three Gorges".

Most folks relied on the waterway to travel the area in the '90s, due to underdeveloped roads in the mountainous area around the river.

My mother took me on a 10-day cruise from Chongqing to Hubei province's Yichang in the summer of 1992, when I was in junior high.

Facilities aboard were basic.

The river was wild, and waves rolled against the ship. Red flags along the route warned of large hidden rocks.

Many passengers got seasick. I acclimated quickly and enjoyed walking along the deck.

The banks hosted several scenic spots, such as Fengdu Ghost City, White Emperor City and Zhangfei Temple. We'd disembark to sightsee, shop and dine.

Today, there are many ways to discover destinations farther from the riverside thanks to huge infrastructure investments.

And cruise liners have shifted from austere to luxurious.

Last summer, I took a luxury cruise with my friends. It was an all-inclusive package tour with cabins that met five-star standards.

The vessel was much bigger and more stable than those I'd boarded so many years before. It had dining halls, a gym, a coffee shop, a tea house, KTV and a cinema.

I'll always remember drinking beer on the deck as we watched the sunset reflected off the river that rippled in the cool breeze. Time flowed as slowly as the water.

But nowadays, I opt to drive to the area's scenic spots, since highways have been built to link every county and district.

It previously took a full day to reach Fengdu by boat. Now, it's two hours' drive from downtown Chongqing.

Easier access has enabled me to discover amazing natural sceneries, such as those of Yunyang Dragon Jar Geopark, tucked among ancient heritage sites.

Though people like me sometimes miss the Yangtze's wild torrents of the days of yore, indeed, the "new Three Gorges" present another, tranquil, type of beauty.