Beijing The Great Wall

We made it!

‘They’ tell me that there are 3 things you absolutely must if you visit Beijing - we’ve done 2 of them!
*The Forbidden City
*Eat Beijing duck - which we haven’t,and *Climb the Great Wall - we did it! Or rather we took the cable car at the village of Mutianyu to the Wall at the top of the mountain and then wandered.

It was quite exciting to be up there. I never thought it would impact on me quite like that, but it’s part of such an immense structure of such historic dimensions. Actually the Great Wall comprises a number of Walls that intersect and even some walls which run parallel.
The Wall dates back well over 2000 years to the Qin dynasty when, legend has it, the bones of dead workers were incorporated into the wall as building material. Because there were a number of sections to the Wall, there were ‘gaps’ where invaders could enter. And in fact Genghis Khan did just that and sacked Beijing way back when.

Arrow/gun slits placed strategically along the length of the Wall

Inside one of the Watch Towers. It would be a harsh life.

Combined, the entire Wall extends around 22,000 Km; we walked on just a tiny 3 km restored section at Mutianyu. Nevertheless it was thrilling to look out over rugged peaks and imagine the Tartars slipping through the passes.
It is beautiful country - rugged and forested with valleys stretching out and away where villagers tend their orchards.

far below under the cable car we could see farmers tending their trees

We ended the day with a tea ceremony back in Beijing.

this is equivalent to single malt whiskey they told us and is very expensive, I think it would be an acquired taste - it's very strong