Access Blogs
On Top Of The World At The Great Wall
The feeling was one of being on top of the world. I was standing on the Great Wall of China - some 4,000 miles long and built over 2,000 years ago. It was one of those very few experiences that are awe-inspiring in the truest sense of the word.
The days here in Beijing had been extremely hazy, and many here for the Olympics had talked about visiting the Great Wall and not being able to see very far when they got there. So, when I opened my hotel room curtains and saw blue skies, I knew my prayers had been answered.
The part of the Wall we visited on this day is called "Mutianyu" in the Huairou district of Beijing. History says it was under the supervision of General Xu Da of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the early Ming dynasty. It was many watchtowers and passes built on steep hills and some precipitous cliffs. This part of the wall goes around the ridge like a flying dragon.
"T-shirts! Hats! Cold beer! Very nice!"
Walking up the road that takes you to the gondola is filled with native vendors selling everything from ice cream to Chinese slippers to miniature Great Wall replicas. When we boarded the gondola and started moving, the anticipation was growing for me. Peering out the window suspended high up in the air, I was first able to see the beautiful rolling hills that make the area so magnificently serene. And then, you see "IT." The Wall. And it is Great. I was just awe-struck. It goes on FOREVER.
My first reaction was "How in the world did they build this?!?" You really want to see how far you can walk, just to see what is on the other side of the coming hill. The parts of the Wall are so different - in some, the floor is flat and leveled, other parts, it's slanted, other times you find yourself climbing very, very steep stairs.
(more great pics, after the jump!)
The Wall, at one time, was guarded by over a million Chinese men and
it's estimated that 2 to 3 million Chinese lost their lives building
the wall. The gates of the Wall where soldiers stood guard each have
their own uniqueness- some are a little more decorative than others,
the sizes vary, the layout somewhat changes. Some of the archways are
so short, that our audio guy, Mike, who is about 6'3", could barely
make it through without ducking down. I came upon a couple of cannons -
once used for war, now to show a little love from one brother to
another.If you come to visit, you will notice the sounds of the cicadas. You don't always see them but you darn sure will hear them. Thousands. Maybe millions. Let's just say a lot of them. And they are loud. The Wall is their home and you are just a guest. Sometimes they will pop up and let you take a picture. Then they're gone -- but not far away.
The Wall is a great place to people-watch. So many interesting characters - some will let you take a picture of them - for a fee.
Perhaps one of the most fun parts of visiting the Wall was the toboggan
ride down. You get in your own little seat and, with a push from the
operator; you can speed down the side of the hill at your own pace
(which is suppose to be fast, lest you hear from the Speed Demons
behind you who can be pretty vocal about drivers going too slow). Once
down on the ground I still felt exhilarated after witnessing first hand
one of the Seven Wonders of the World. I hope you get a chance to share in this experience one day.
Peace,
Shaun
Thank for sharing your experience with us. You guys have been great!
Shaun, glad you had a blast. The toboggan is NEW to me and I have never heard it over there.
It is true that tens of millions of people had lost their lives building The Great Wall so that hundreds of millions of Chinese would not be slaughtered by the foreigners. Yet, Chinese had lost more lives to the Japanese during the WWII than building that wall. I read it as a guardian gesture towards aggressors.
It was a hardship for many people building that wall. There was a story that a man was drafted the day he married. His half-a-day wife begged all year and traveled thousands of miles to look for her husband. Through all her hardship, she got to where her husband was supposed to build the wall. It was too late. Her husband had died. Felt so destroyed, she could not help weeping. Her sobering cry was so sad, the newly built wall about hundreds miles long collapsed. That was the great fork story of Jiangniu Meng sobbed down the great wall.
The theme of the 29th Beijing Olympics is that “one world, one dream” and everyone participated is aimed at world peace and prosperity. It is not easy; it demands sacrifice of everyone. It was why I am putting together my blog trying to do just that. Let us promote the theme and pray to God that nobody will experience what Meng did thousands years ago.
Peace!
Vic