Here is a flotilla of the larger, more commercially oriented barge traffic that moves up and down the river day and night; though at night the traffic is down substantially due to the increased dangers. These large barges haul anything and everything that needs to move up and down the river.

Though the shot is blurred by the ever-present mist along the river, you can see some of the isolated farmers dwellings along the river side. There obviously aren't any roads or other overland access except for walking, so the river is their source for everything. What amazed me the most, however, was that you would commonly see power lines running along the river on both sides, lights in the houses at night, and satellite TV antennas everywhere (not that you would want to watch Chinese TV for my tastes). There was obviously less abject poverty along the river than I would have expected.