Beijing: Day 2

Of course, if you make it to China, one of the things you should find a way to see is “The Great Wall”. A few points you should know first:

1. It is not a single wall, and never has been.
2. Most sections of the wall are in the North-East of China.
3. Parts of the wall were originally constructed during the Warring States period – before China was unified, some of the states of the time built walls to protect themselves from other states.
4. The idea to connect these segments into a long, continuous wall was imagined during the Ming dynasty.
5. The wall sections are in various states of disrepair and restoration – it is your choice if you prefer to see a structure that is genuinely ancient, or one which has been partially rebuilt to reflect the designer’s intention.

My friend and I went to the Badaling section, which has some great views. It’s a long, restored section of wall with several watchtowers and is VERY popular with tourists. Even with the heat of a Beijing summer and the visible smog from the city, it was a great day. Constructing something of that magnitude would be difficult and time-consuming even today, and it’s impressive to see the hard work of people who lived centuries ago.

With no further ado, please enjoy this incredible sight.

Smog. I don’t miss the smog.