Trip Summary - The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China! What a beautiful day it was for a trip to the Great Wall; sunny and clear and optimal viewing for long distances -- no smog!! This was, in fact, a big deal, since it was usually very smoggy in both Changsha and Beijing. The smog alert days in Canada do not hold a candle to what they experience here in China.

Until you see it yourself, it’s impossible to truly imagine the scale and the scope of this wonder. The wall spans everywhere the eye can see, and there are numerous outbuildings and a temple as well. It is mind-boggling to imagine how people could have built this thousands of years ago, without modern tools or machinery. The portion of wall we visited is very steep, and the risers of the stairs are uneven; anywhere from 5 cm to 30 cm high. But most braved the climb up to the 1st or even 2nd tower. All this with the babies strapped safely in their carriers. Not an easy (or safe!) feat.