The Great Wall of China runs across the north for about 6000 kms and took about 2000 years to complete. It is the only human structure visible fro
m space and is an important cultural item in China. Many Chinese walk along its ramparts with pride. On the wall are many foreign nationals which, on Sunday, included Gwen and I.
We did it. As usual we had to be nuts. Our guide told us that Chinese people our age just pack it up and stay home. I can see why. A few months ago we did the Waterfall Tour at our Rotary District Conference. That was tough enough on the old knees but this was even more challenging.
En Route, we had the the mandatory stops at the Jade Factory and the Chinese doctor. We didn’t spend much on jade or treatment so our tour company had only a very small commission.
But before we reached the Wall we had one more stop at the tombs of the Ming dynasty. There are 16 tombs here scattered over a huge area. We just visited the entrance, a place called the Sacred Way. There the statues guard the bodies of the dead Emperors.
Then we proceeded farther north, to the Wall. At the parking lot below the Great Wall I bought two canes for $20. These turned out to be a Godsend. They a very strong light metal that are adjustable and have spring shock absorbers on board. In hindsight we wouldn’t have been able to do it without them. I am sure I paid too much but they were desperately needed
We covered most of the distance up and down by cable car. That made it a lot easier but there was a lot of up and down climbing on fairly rough terrain and it was still arduous.
But when we reached the top and were finally on the Wall itself it was worth it. The view is spectacular and the whole concept of the wall is amazing. Building it cost thousands of lives and most are buried inside the wall. Like most great government projects it failed to doo the job. Invaders came in easily anyway
.
Now it reflects a new concept. It is a gathering place for the people of the world. Along the top we met and talked to a lot of people from all over, including a very nice lady from Kansas.
There is so much to Beijing it is difficult to describe it all. When we arrived on Friday night it was coming to the end of the Chinese New Year. This is incredibly important here and the last night was a spectacular fireworks display. Actually there was not one display. There were hundreds. Our room is on the 15th floor and we have a large picture window looking over the city. We could see dozens of displays all going on at the same time. The staccato bangs were nonstop and this went on for about 4 hours. I made two 1 minute videos but they are too large to post. They will be part of the show back home.
m space and is an important cultural item in China. Many Chinese walk along its ramparts with pride. On the wall are many foreign nationals which, on Sunday, included Gwen and I.We did it. As usual we had to be nuts. Our guide told us that Chinese people our age just pack it up and stay home. I can see why. A few months ago we did the Waterfall Tour at our Rotary District Conference. That was tough enough on the old knees but this was even more challenging.
En Route, we had the the mandatory stops at the Jade Factory and the Chinese doctor. We didn’t spend much on jade or treatment so our tour company had only a very small commission.
But before we reached the Wall we had one more stop at the tombs of the Ming dynasty. There are 16 tombs here scattered over a huge area. We just visited the entrance, a place called the Sacred Way. There the statues guard the bodies of the dead Emperors.
Then we proceeded farther north, to the Wall. At the parking lot below the Great Wall I bought two canes for $20. These turned out to be a Godsend. They a very strong light metal that are adjustable and have spring shock absorbers on board. In hindsight we wouldn’t have been able to do it without them. I am sure I paid too much but they were desperately needed
We covered most of the distance up and down by cable car. That made it a lot easier but there was a lot of up and down climbing on fairly rough terrain and it was still arduous.
But when we reached the top and were finally on the Wall itself it was worth it. The view is spectacular and the whole concept of the wall is amazing. Building it cost thousands of lives and most are buried inside the wall. Like most great government projects it failed to doo the job. Invaders came in easily anyway
.Now it reflects a new concept. It is a gathering place for the people of the world. Along the top we met and talked to a lot of people from all over, including a very nice lady from Kansas.
There is so much to Beijing it is difficult to describe it all. When we arrived on Friday night it was coming to the end of the Chinese New Year. This is incredibly important here and the last night was a spectacular fireworks display. Actually there was not one display. There were hundreds. Our room is on the 15th floor and we have a large picture window looking over the city. We could see dozens of displays all going on at the same time. The staccato bangs were nonstop and this went on for about 4 hours. I made two 1 minute videos but they are too large to post. They will be part of the show back home.
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