Melinda's Japanese Adventure: Beijing Continued

My favorite thing to visit in Beijing was the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall was begun many centuries ago, first as separate little walls built by different localities and then formed into one big wall by Qin Shi Huang-ti. After Qin's death, the Great Wall languished until Qing times when it was rebuilt. So, you can't really see much of the very old Qin wall, but rather the newer (still hundreds of years old) Qing wall. Still, it is a spectacular site--maybe my favorite day of the entire trip. We went to the Mutinyau Section, supposedly the less commercial section.

Through the window on the way to the Great Wall. Look how rugged and steep the mountains are. It's incredible that the wall was built into these steep slopes.

Sid and Sam making their way along the wall. It looks easy, but it isn't. The bricks are uneven and in places the wall is so steep that there are only stairs.

Sam and Mama at one of the guard posts. We went on top of this one and looked out over the mountains.

I thought I would die hiking this. But, I made it well before Sid. I thought maybe he had had a heart attack somewhere down the steps! This was a tough hike. But, at the top were old ladies selling water and soda out of big coolers. I don't know how those old ladies got up there!

Graham in the guard post fireplace. Looking cool in a hot place. :)

One of the old ladies selling stuff at the top took our picture. The picture was free but the water we felt obligated to purchase cost us big time. Not only did it cost money, but we had to lug it back down the huge flight of stairs!