So the big news is that I have new pictures up from the Great Wall on my Flickr account....
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So today we hired a private minivan to take us out to Mutianyu, a section of the Great Wall that while having a comercial prescence is less crowded and comercial than Badaling (at least according to the guidebooks and the locals...we'll just have to trust them... I have no inclination to go out to Badaling). I sat on a jump seat in the seat beltless van as it sped through Beijing traffic when it could and ground to a halt when it couldn't. Getting around in a car in Beijing is just about the most frustrating thing on the planet. It makes me feel like the things should be banned altogether. Just about every driver has a massive red tassel and stone/glass good luck charm hanging from the dashboard mirror and with the way they drive they probably need it. Likely serves a duel purpose of keeping them from having to look at oncoming traffic the thing is so big.
Anyway, we made our way out to the wall which is up in the mountains a bit. It was quite pretty but there was a fog that really obstructed the view. I'm actually quite pleased with how the pictures all came out. The wall stretched out like a giant, writhing snake that curled it's way along mountain ridges. Walking up to the wall they have steps that go straight up the mountain side it's quite a climb but the entire mountain has tree cover. Up on top you walk along the granite wall with large watchtowers that over look the surronding valleys. In the past when invading armies approached they would light fires along the wall to signal their approach. Now it's just for the tourists. I was actually surprised by how steep the wall itself became. You could tumble down if you weren't careful and I dropped a bottle of water which went a good twenty five yards before finally stopping. The whole experience with all the steps made me wish that I had had the foresight to bring a slinky with me. If I ever come back I will. I imagine it could go forever....
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So my brother Paul thinks it's important to know how to piss off people of all nations and creeds when you travel. You just need to know. It's a people skill (mind you not a good one). So we have a bunch of folks from Britain with us teaching English and I've come up with something that really gets their knickers in a bunch. I've been telling them, "Brits are just Americans that we refused to let in..." They just stand their kind of flabbergasted.
