Checking off another Bucket List item!

On my second day in Beijing I was off to knock another item off my bucket list – the Great Wall of China. Friends of mine (who I would soon see in Shanghai!) recommended Mu Tian Yu which is about 70km outside of Beijing – my guide was surprised that I knew of it and said most foreigners choose the sections of the wall closer to the city center, but the drive was well worth it. We took a gondola up to Wall…I was hoping to toboggan down, but it was closed due to the snow/ice :-( That was definitely the only disappointment of the trip – the Great Wall is absolutely incredible, awe inspiring in fact. 5,500 miles, through the mountains, built during a time when there was no machinery to assist in the work. Construction started in the 5th century B.C. and it continued to be built and rebuilt/maintained through the 16th century A.D.

At the start of the hike....we were able to go up a little over halfway on the hill in the middle of the picture below....so onwards we go! It was not excactly an easy walk with all the steps being different sizes and snow melting into ice in some areas.

I couldn't believe some of the people walking up the steep, uneven steps - really young kids to old grandparents and everywhere in between.

It was a little hazy, but the view of the mountains everywhere you looked was gorgeous!

Relaxing a little bit before continuing on the climb ;-)

For this trip, two bucket list items down - Diving in the Great Barrier Reef and Hiking along the Great Wall of China - next up, the Taj Majal...stay tuned!