China Part VI

Our next day was finally the day we went to see the Great Wall of China.  I think this was what I was most excited for on this trip.  But before we could get there, we had to make a couple of stops.  First up, the jade factory, I love seeing how things are made -

- so it was fun to see how they turn this block of jade...

...into this ball, with three smaller balls inside - all from one large block. 

                                    

Our next stop was the Sacred Way, I'm not sure that we got to see all that we were supposed to on this trip because we spent about an hour sitting in traffic trying to get there.  Our driver finally just pulled into a smaller parking area - so I think we started in the middle of way - but it was still beautiful.  

                                     

The emperor who had this area constructed had each animal built once standing and one sitting, so that it looked like they were alive and moving.  

  

                                     

Finally, it was time for the Great Wall.  Again, traffic was kind-of a nightmare, I was so excited when I could finally see a part of the wall from the bus!

                                   

 The first set of stairs we had to climb were SO steep! For someone like me who hates heights - this was just a bit of a problem! I just kept telling myself this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I was going to make it up those stairs if it killed me!!

By the time we got off the wall my hands were a nice brownish red color from gripping the rusty handrails so tightly!

I loved the signs that they had up all over the wall - some of them didn't even make any sense.  You would think someone in China should know enough English to at least translate complete sentences. 

                                     

After climbing, and climbing and climbing some more, we finally made it to the top of the wall!

At this point the section we had been climbing ended and you could look out and see the ruins of the next section that hasn't been repaired.

On the way down I had to get a picture looking back up at where we had been!  I am still amazed at how high up the wall goes - I was not expecting to climb a mountain!

That night we decided we were in need of some real American food, so we took a taxi to the Hard Rock Cafe.

You haven't lived until you are in China, listening to a Filipino band play Beatles songs!  It was a great ending to our day!