The Wonder of China

Ever since I learned as a child that you could see the Great Wall of China from space I wanted to see it. How a structure so magnificent was built in ancient times without half of the technology we have today? After many years of planning I landed in Beijing. What a culture shock! I was told the language barrier was going to be somewhat of a challenge but I didn’t grasp the extent of it until I got there. After some well needed rest and many misunderstandings I arrived at the Great Wall of China.

The wall was endless. You could see it going and going until your eyes can’t see any further. It goes up and down hills, goes left and right similar to a snake.  At the gate, I was given the option of going through the easy path to the right or the difficult path to the left. Of course I choose the difficult path! Why would I take the easy way after flying literally across the world? On a side note, I didn’t Google or YouTube the Great Wall of China prior to my trip to keep the element of surprise. With that said, my expectations were very different from reality. 

First, there are thousands and thousands of steps. I always thought it was entirely flat. Second the steps are not even. I don’t know if you ever had to climb on uneven steps but is very difficult. One step could be 2.5 ft tall while the next one is 10 inches short. Yes, that different! This makes it very easy to misstep. Thirdly, the steps were extremely steep. At times, the steps were so steep you couldn’t see the top. It almost looked like a wall. 

I’ll admit climbing up gave me a rush. I honestly thought any misstep and I would fall into the wilderness and never be seen again. It might sound dramatic but after an hour climb you would probably think the same. I climbed all the way to the 14^th fortress. The station was located on a peak where it had amazing views of China’s wilderness. There I got to take it all in. I felt so accomplished and proud of myself. After all, only very few people reached this point. You could see the tourists all the way down on what seamed like miles away.  Reflecting on that day, I truly appreciate being able to see in person the amazing structure and details of the wall. I also got to appreciate the dedication, determination, risk and the struggle it must have taken to build a world wonder in such challenging geographic location. 

Everything that goes up, must come down! Going down was another challenge. The fear of falling forward was real. In my opinion it was easier to climb then to go down. Luckily there are rails on each side to help you. I honestly don’t know how the builders did it. Some steps were so large and steep that I had to sit and slide on to the next step down. After what seamed forever I reached the gate. This experience was much fun. I am so thankful for being able to experience and create amazing memories in the Great Wall of China.

P.S. I was sore for a week.