I’ve been along the middle reaches of the Yangtze River in the last few days. One day, I was driving along upriver from the city of Yichang when I came across a clump of people looking out from the sidewalk on a bridge.

What were they looking at? What else? Bungee jumping.

Here’s a photo of one guy taking the plunge. My taxi driver asked if I planned to jump. Bu yao! I said. I don’t want to!

Like at any big gorge in any developed country, entrepreneurs had set up a bungee jumping platform as well as myriad other thrill rides. One swing would propel people on a platform gently over the gorge, back and forth.

Speedboats below whizzed people upriver. Restaurants, some carved out of the limestone cliff banks, gave vacationers spectacular views. Here’s a broader view of the gorge, then the view from the other side of the bridge.