THAT WALL IS GOOD…NO, IT’S GREAT!

Finally our merry little band made our way to the Great Wall, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. We went to the Badaling region, which is one of the most-visited sections of the wall because of its proximity to Beijing. Robert, however, reasoned that we should go to the Wall in late-afternoon, when most of the tourists have left (it’s popular in the morning when it’s cooler). He was right, it was pretty empty. However climbing straight up uneven steps at 3.30p in the afternoon might not be considered fun for everyone. We are very proud to say that we made it all the way from the government-run snack bar to the very top in under an hour, without heart attack or heat stroke. It was a wonderful experience, made even better by the fabulous weather.

After dinner we returned to the hotel, showered and are now waiting for the hotel Spa & Salon to send the foot massage specialist; after hiking the Great Wall, we deserve it!

Tomorrow, we will take up the students cause and visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City…mmm…forbidden.