BEIJING - NOVEMBER, 2012 [PART FOUR]

On my last full day in Beijing I took a day trip to the Great Wall of China which is about 40 miles north of Beijing. In 2008 Michael and me went to the Badaling portion of the wall which is the most popular tourist location, and most frequently visited portion, of the wall. Badaling was almost completely rebuilt in 1979, so it looks rather modern, and little of the wall is the original construction. This visit I went to the Mutianyu portion of the wall , which is less frequently visited, and contains more of the original construction of the wall itself. On the way to the Great Wall we stopped at the Ming Tombs, which are located in a valley between Beijing and the wall. In this valley 13 Ming emperors are buried. Only one of the tombs has been excavated, so there is little to see in the tombs themselves. We went to the entryway into the valley area where the emperors would enter the valley to pay homage to the previous emperors.

The entry into the valley entrance begins at an imposing stone portico through which the emperor would pass, then down the Shendao, or Sacred Way, which was reserved for imperial travel; which passes between rows of stone sculptures - representing imperial advisors, and huge elephants, camels, lions, and horses - on to the 4 1/2 mile journey to the burial sites.

Arriving at the base of the mountains that the wall traverses, you had a choice to hike from the valley floor to the wall or take a ski lift up to the wall to begin your hike on the wall. Needless to say, I took the ski lift.

From the point that the ski lift terminated at the wall, you began a one hour hike to the uppermost portion of the wall that was safe to climb. It was very steep, and although you had steps to climb, often it was so vertical that you had to use your hands, as well as feet, to climb up. It was a great workout for the legs and lungs. Few of the people in my group made it to the top. I was the first to get to the top, and the views were amazing and well worth the effort.

When you returned from the top of the wall to the access point where your hike began, you could return to the valley floor by the ski lift, or you could take the toboggan run (which was like the Alpine Slide at Park City or Big Bear.) I took the tobbogan run which was fast, steep, and long to the valley floor. What a great way to end my trip to the Great Wall and Beijing. I truly enjoyed my trip to Beijing, and will have many great memories from this trip.