RadioRoryThere’s a sad realization when you see the Great Wall of China for the first time.
You realize that you’ll never see all of it.
I’m sure some crazy adventurers have joined the ranks of astronauts by being able to see how the entire wall snakes across more than 3,000 miles of China. That’s roughly the same distance as going coast-to-coast in the U.S. The Chinese were able to build an imposing wall 800-years ago but we couldn’t even hold hands across America in the 1980s.
There’s not much of the original wall left. Sections have been rebuilt and re-engineered to handle large crowds of tourists. In Mutianyu, about 45-minutes outside Beijing, there’s a section of wall with a chairlift to the top and a fun toboggan ride down. Other parts have gondolas to give people a clear view of the ancient wonder. Bike tours are available in other parts. Fancy bathrooms and visitors centers have been strategically placed and there’s even familiar food for weary Americans.
Some footings of the wall have been expanded too, making JUST enough room for souvenir and refreshment stands. Yup, you can drink a cold beer while sitting on the Great Wall of China.
All in all (sorry, I promised not to make those jokes), it’s just a wall. And did I mention the steps? The emperor who ordered the wall’s construction was trying to keep out invaders and didn’t take the path of least resistance. I never did find the long, straight, flat section of wall. The uneven steps require your full attention.
My first trip to the wall was to the more tourist-friendly section and involved the chairlift a couple beers, and a fun toboggan ride to the bottom.
The second visit, with my tour group, was to a part of the wall that hasn’t been rebuilt yet. They put in all the infrastructure at the bottom of the hill, big bathrooms, bus parking, and big open sidewalks, but the work to rebuild the wall hasn’t begun.
The first parts of the wall were built more than two-thousand-years ago and most no longer exist. About 800-years ago, the emperor ordered that walls scattered throughout the countryside be joined to create a single barrier that could be used for defense while improving trade and communication.
Even today, the wall fosters international communication. You can’t walk far without people asking if you can take their picture and that immediately turns into an offer for them to do the same. Then there’s the “Where are you from?” conversation that follows.
A wall visit isn’t an option when you go to China. The question is, what kind of experience do you want?
Personally, I like the touristy stop with the chairlift and the slide. That location I thought was a bit more photogenic than the other and it didn’t have (or need) the modern safety-railings that ruin the look in pictures of the un-restored section.
The touristy stuff also helps to camouflage the fact that it’s still just a wall.