Around the World in 128 Days - Walking (Climbing) The Great Wall

 

 Travel Day 68 - March 11, 2024 - 7,055 Steps

Another delayed post, this excursion took 13 1/2 hours and we didn't get back to the ship until  9:30 PM and we had to be up at 4 AM for the following days excursion.

Our greeting at the dock.

You might want to just listen as the video is jumpy. At least it's a very short video.

When it has been years since the equipment was last used, problems may occur. That was the case when the gangway malfunctioned when it was being extended causing a lengthy delay in being able to go ashore.

Dragon in the cruise terminal.

Restroom stop at a service area. Much of the trip was on expressways.

New Kia's being transported.

The window sticker seems to refer to fuel economy.

All the highways had trees planted beside them.

A police checkpoint. Because the Peoples Congress was in session, all persons entering the Beijing area had to show identification.

Our guide bringing back our checked stamped copies of our passports we all had carry with us at all times when in China.

High rise apartments are seen almost everywhere as the government strives to provide better living conditions for the people.

Our first real look at The wall. This section was not open to be climbed. As you will soon see, the term walking The Great wall is a misnomer.

A video showing all the sections of The Wall from where we were standing.

Ridgetop section across the valley.

The section we will be "walking", lol.

Description of this section.

Up, up and up it goes. Where the top is, who knows.

This sign is there for a very good reason. One of the people on our bus had previously suffered a stroke. On the ride back they began exhibiting serious signs of another stroke including partial paralysis. On arrival at the ship he was carried off the bus and immediately taken onboard in a wheelchair. We've heard nothing further about his condition.

Where we were headed.

I'll just say the higher we climbed the fewer the number of people. If a person was in poor health and just wanted be able walk a small section, this was where it would happen.

And it begins to slope upwards.

You'll find there isn't a lot of video of the climb. That's because it's more or less, "Just one more step", said over and over as it gets steeper and steeper. It's one those you have to experience it to appreciate it things.

And from then on it all steps. Often times very, very steep steps.

Linda pausing before the beginning of the steps.

Looking back down whence we came.

Trying to give an idea of how steep it was.

Not on the wall, but very pretty.

Looking out toward Beijing.

A tiny bit of Beijing in the far distance.

I know, it's a really weird camera angle.

Linda at the high point of our "walk", looking down and thinking " I can't believe L made it up to here."

Going down was harder on the muscles than going up, but the breathing was far easier. That's a long ways down, or it was a vey long ways up, depending on how one looks at it.

She was rightly very proud of her accomplishment.

Her look when i said there is still a long way to go before we are down.

Rest break on the way down. I was far ahead of her on the way up so I couldn't document how many times she stopped on the climb.

Just one more step and then there were no more.

It look better from where I was standing to take the photo, but I'll admit I was just too tired to make any adjustment to the camera. Like her, i just wanted to be back on level ground.

Closeups on several points on the Wall across the valley. Ours were similar be we could get any photos of them like these.

Stopped on the way back for a very, very late lunch or slightly early dinner.

After all that exercise it was spot on.

Mannequins in the restaurant depicting activities in former times.

Real people who not only reached, but also "walked" the wall.

Approximate $86,000 for this piece of Jade according to the sticker on it..

This one, much smaller, was $7,000 dollars. The photos don't due justice to the translucency of the bowl.

The old ball within the ball within the ball.

What they used to carve them. Unfortunately the carver was on a break when we were there because it would have been interesting to see them working.

Photo of a trashcan marred by a lion statue and a beautiful girl.

What big teeth you have Mr. Lion.

Actually, many things are very big in China.

Art can be seen everywhere.

LBJ was never to China, or it is likely there would have been gates like this on his ranch.

The detail is wonderful.

Long, long after the sunset we returned to the ship, some 13 1/2 hours after we started. But what a truly fantastic day it had been as we fulfilled one of our lifetime dreams.