Wuhan Pool Parties Bring Post-Coronavirus Relief in China

Thousands gather for pool party in Wuhan, China. (Getty Images)
Thousands gather for pool party in Wuhan, China. (Getty Images)
TT
20

Wuhan Pool Parties Bring Post-Coronavirus Relief in China

Thousands gather for pool party in Wuhan, China. (Getty Images)
Thousands gather for pool party in Wuhan, China. (Getty Images)

For more than two months, the 11 million residents of Wuhan endured a strict lockdown as coronavirus raced around the city in central China.

Now, some are letting loose en masse at rocking nighttime pool parties at a popular amusement park chain. The Wuhan Maya Beach Water Park reopened in late June, and the crowds have picked up this month.

Wuhan was the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in China and saw the most deaths. The city and most of the surrounding province was locked down from late January to early April. People couldn’t leave or enter the city and were mostly restricted to their homes.

The spread of the disease has been all but eradicated in China, though isolated outbreaks pop up sporadically.

Outdoor attractions and tourist sites have gradually reopened across the country with restrictions.

In order to enter the Wuhan water park, party-goers need to reserve tickets online in advance with their national ID number. On the day, they need to present their ID and a green health code generated from mobile apps that track people’s movements and whether they are subject to virus quarantine.

The Maya Beach chain is holding similar parties at other water parks including those in Shanghai and Chongqing.



King Charles’ Annual Swan Census Begins on the River Thames

Swan uppers travel along the River Thames between Staines and Eton, during the ancient tradition of Swan Upping, the annual census of the mute swan population on the River Thames in London, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych)
Swan uppers travel along the River Thames between Staines and Eton, during the ancient tradition of Swan Upping, the annual census of the mute swan population on the River Thames in London, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych)
TT
20

King Charles’ Annual Swan Census Begins on the River Thames

Swan uppers travel along the River Thames between Staines and Eton, during the ancient tradition of Swan Upping, the annual census of the mute swan population on the River Thames in London, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych)
Swan uppers travel along the River Thames between Staines and Eton, during the ancient tradition of Swan Upping, the annual census of the mute swan population on the River Thames in London, Monday, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Thomas Krych)

Scarlet uniforms flashed against the riverbank. Wooden skiffs glided in formation. A young swan, gently lifted from the water, was measured, inspected and released.

The annual five-day census of swans belonging to King Charles III– known as Swan Upping -- began Monday on the River Thames to assess their health.

One of the British monarch’s less-known titles is Seigneur of the Swans — Lord of the Swans — and according to ancient lore, he or she owns all members of the mute swan species found in Britain’s open waters.

AP reported on Tuesday that every year, a team of carefully selected oarsmen — Swan Uppers -- are tasked with finding the swans on a stretch of the Thames.

When a family is spotted, they shout, “All up!” and the boats quickly surround the birds, marking them and checking for signs of disease or injury.

“It gives us an indication of what’s going on throughout the country,” said David Barber, who wears a scarlet jacket and a white swan feather in his cap and bears the title of King’s Swan Marker. “It’s a tradition, but I think it’s serving a very useful purpose as well.”

Barber has been leading the event for more than 30 years.

He is accompanied by a vet and oarsmen dressed in three colors: red for the king, white for the Worshipful Company of Vintners and blue stripes for the Worshipful Company of Dyers.

The last two are medieval London trade guilds that were granted ownership of some Thames swans in the 15th century.

The census tradition dates to the 12th century, when swans were considered an important food for royal banquets and feasts.

While swans are now legally protected from hunting, they face threats from disease, pollution, vandalism and cruelty, Barber said.

Their numbers have declined over the last two years, primarily due to outbreaks of avian flu across Britain, he said, adding that only 86 young swans were found during last year’s Swan Upping, which was 45% fewer than the year before that.

But Barber appeared positive at the end of the event’s first day, with a total of 16 young swans recorded.

The census continues until Friday, traveling from Sunbury, on the outskirts of London, to Abingdon, 80 miles (130 kilometers) upstream.