The Great Wall

We didn’t get much sleep as we had to meet our guide and driver - I know, that’s so not like us! - but we are here such a short time it seemed the easiest and least tiring way to get to The bit of Wall we wanted to see, Mutianyu which was 2 hours to get to in the morning and 4 hours back due to heavy traffic.

It was stunning. A few more steps than Hadrian’s! We got a shuttle bus from the car park, then a cable car, from where the guide gave us 1.5 hours to walk. We got as far as allowed, to the top of the hill in the Blip. We were about a third of the way when I took this picture of Mr C. The last bit up was 700 steps. There are a lot of unfit people about!

A young woman gave us rubber bracelets for our effort. She was celebrating school graduation so had some commemorating it.

on the way back we were taken to a tea place to have 6 teas explained and tasted. We did not buy, though we are getting used to them.

Our guide spoke great English and told us how her son had gone to extra classes from aged 3, as the completion here is so great. So must the pressure be on the children. She explained how her parents had a hard time during the cultural revolution, when many starved.

Thank you friends for your comments. I have had trouble getting into Blip here.