Be a hero, make the climb
Written: Apr 07 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 1 of the 7 wonders, amazing view, rich history
Cons: rough climb for asthmatics and fatties like me, lol!
The Bottom Line: When in China, see the Great Wall, but also see things off the beaten path. Don't be a Safety Zone Tourst. See the world as it really is. :)
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| jade_stone's Full Review: The Great Wall |
I went to the Bada Ling section of the Great Wall with a small tour group consisting of myself, 2 Nepalese, a Brit, and a Brazillian. What many people don't realize is the Great Wall is not one long unending wall, but rather a series of walls, built over many different time periods. Some are too decrepit to do more than gaze up at, however the Bada Ling section is quite well preserved and of course the most touristy.
The walk from the parking lot to the base of the steps that take you to the base of the wall's steps is one steep grade. The first thing you will see are the bears. They have an elaborate wood palace thing set up with a playground for these small bears who will do just about anything to get you to throw them a snack. I believe they're called Sun Bears but I'm not really sure. They were black with creme colored collars that extended down their chests.
After passing the bears, you must do what I like to refer to as Run the Gauntlet. The Gauntlet is a jostling, loud, constant swirl of vendors trying to get you to buy their wares, be it scarfs, jackets, t-shirts, or some other souvineer. They will stand in front of you, place their items on you, thrust them into your hands, and grab you to make you stop. Be prepared to either bulldoze your way through, or buy stuff. Avoiding eye contact helps a lot.
Eventually you emerge from the mob to reach the base of the stairs that lead up to the base of another set of stairs. Here you are given a choice. You can walk the entire way up to the top of the Great Wall, or you can take a little roller coaster looking tram halfway up.
I am ashamed to say I had to take the tram. My asthma flared up the moment the 20F wind hit me (I went in October) and the steady uphill climb to that point had me very close to passing out. If I could have mainlined my inhaler, I would have.
The tram takes you to a halfway point, at which point you find some more vendors and the rest of the stairs to the top.
You will be surrounded by Chinese on your way up. My guide told me that for many years the Chinese considered the Great Wall an embarassment, a foolish waste of time and lives by Emporers in a pointless effort to keep out enemies. As it turned out, putting up those big walls seemed to have the same effect on their enemies as telling a child to keep his hand out of the cookie jar. However, as China began to open up to the outside world, and more and more attention was brought to the Wall, it began to be seen as a source of national pride. To walk all the way to the top is considered very heroic, and you will see people of all types making the treck, and most of them will be well dressed. I saw little girls of 6 with gaily colored hair ribbons make the climb right beside their elderly grandmothers. Beautiful girls in high heels and men in suits all headed for the top. Clearly this journey has great meaning for the Chinese people.
An amusing sidenote, although smoking seems to be a national pasttime for the Chinese, there is no smoking allowed on the Great Wall. My tour guide, a 24 year old woman, took a cigarette out of a grandmother's mouth and scolded her for smoking on the wall. A few minutes later she told me with a blush "I can't believe I just did that! But you do not smoke here!".
The view is spectactular. From the top of the 1600 some odd steps, many of them broken and uneven and very difficult to maintain a steady pace on, you can see miles of the wall stretching over the mountains. It is as if you are peering through a window into the past, unchanged save a few powerlines that can easily be tuned out of your vision if you try.
Now that you have reached the top and are a hero, you can pay $40 yuan (about $5) to have a small medal that makes it official. Everyone gets one, native and tourist alike.
The treck down is almost as hard as going up. Your tired leg muscles will loudly protest this new form of torture, and you may find yourself clinging to the railing to keep from pitching forward. Or maybe that was just me...
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Singles
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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Epinions.com ID:
jade_stone
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Member: Jade Stone
Location: Texas
Reviews written: 52
Trusted by: 29 members
About Me:
Web designer, artist, photographer, professional BS'er and yarn spinner.
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