my. splendid. experience.: The Great Wall Of China...

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The Great Wall Of China...

Day 2:
We woke up early and went with a group of about 6 others to the wall. The Great Wall is incredible! I completely understand why the Great Wall of China is one of the wonders of the world. I don't think trying to describe in words can do justice for how magnificent it is. I'll post pictures as soon as I can. They do so much more than words could ever do in this case. After being in the city where the air is so polluted and congested, it was so great being up so high where the air was so clear and fresh and cool, above the cities and chaos, and the sky was blue! I don't think I've seen a real blue sky since I left the states. Really. The pollution is so heavy here, and foggy as well. I don't know. It was just so lovely to be there where it was beautiful and clear where we could just be. Just be content. The wall itself is so ... WOW! It stretches for miles and miles, obviously, and you can just see it go. After hiking up a very steep set of stairs for about a half mile, we got to the main wall and began our hike that lasted for nearly 4 hours. It was very difficult, not an easy hike by any means, but I enjoyed every second of it. So worth it, no matter how exhausted I was at the end :) Our tour guide Cynthia was explaining to us that the wall was known as the “long graveyard” because they say that thousands of people died building the wall which is so easy to see after hiking the little that we did. I struggled after only 4 hours and I was just walking. I can't imagine building it, carrying tools and materials, or just hiking up and down it all day every day as a soldier or something. Unbelievable. It was really neat too because we started at a section of the wall that had been restored... but by the time we had finished we had seen portions of the unrestored wall as well and it was remarkable. The experience as a whole was so very surreal. The entire time I couldn't help but think how crazy it was that I was experiencing the Great Wall of CHINA! WHOOOAAH! What an incredible opportunity to have. The Wall was definitely the main highlight of our trip to Beijing.

No comments:

Post a Comment

A list of my favorites... created in China, inspired by Abby. Made to add to.

snuggling into a warm bed on a cold cold night, soft serve vanilla ice cream, ripples in water, having butterflies (not the animal), being speechless, playing the piano, listening to the piano, photographing life's special moments, smiling, laughing so hard you cry, sneezing, speaking another language not your native tongue to a native speaker, bay windows, pressed flowers, outbursts of song, barefoot on freshly cut grass, overcast days, organization, romances, porch swings, cool breeze on a summer day, coincidences, sunsets, early morning runs, running to not miss the bus, tender mercies, an early start, skype-ing family across the world, reminiscing about old times, memories, stories, etc., dim lights in a dark room, coconut yogurt in china, laying on the sidewalk drying off in the summer time, sunday walks, cleanliness, inside jokes, clean sheets, developing film in a dark room, long hugs...with certain people, swimming at night, coconut bread (in china), bread in China in general, waking up to the rain, being sore after working out, hammocks, screen doors, walking into screen doors, awkward eye-contact, winks, laugh attacks that almost hurt and feel like you've just had an ab work-out, heartfelt talks, constructive criticism, movie quotes, “whatever makes your boat float.”, a warm towel just out of the dryer, saying a phrase, and having you and everyone around you parallel it to a song and burst out in song., Big kitchens that can be the gathering place and the place for many memories to be made, singing, singing LOUD, Singing a song you don't know... making up words as you go., Picniks, temple walks, wind, thunder storms, rain downpours, music, bleach pens, the smell of new born babies, an infants cry, impressions from the Spirit, eating with chopsticks, phase 10, traveling, evening summer hikes, views of the city from a higher point, Korean Air, Parachute... the band, cleaninng to blasting music, bike rides, temple baptisms, temple weddings, wedding receptions, birds chirping, the sound of leaves blowing in the wind, waking up to the weed wacker and/or lawn mower early on a Saturday morning, Freshly made cinnamon rolls, Enjoying a storm from your deck, the way you feel after working out, washed feet, clean socks, Hot Potts, Surprise Birthday Parties...especially when it's not really your birthday, Fresh Flowers , the smell of Lillies, hand pulled noodles, bartering in China, The Muslim Quarter, LOVE , Bullet Trains, smiling at a stranger, getting a smile in return, special places :),inside jokes, cheesecake, laying out feeling the sun on your skin, a harmonized hymn, a good hair day, complimenting someone who needs it, giving to the needy, Yangshuo mountains, muddy bike rides, yangshuo crepe breakfast, chey kelly, stretching, soccer, hanging out with my mom, hanging out with all of my siblings. Watermelon in summertime. Skinny sharpie pens, harmonized hymns, a made bed, words of our Prophets, Conference, rearranging furniture, cleaning parties, a clean home, Buddy the Elf, evening walks, sitting/running/standing in the pouring rain- feeling the water just drench you and drip off your nose, learning to speak a different language, the what if game, bridges, gates, doors, my China kids, Zhongshan,