YangSee in China: Part III: Climbing the Great Wall

The next day, we set out to conquer the Great Wall of China. On the drive to the Great Wall, our tour guide was talking about how the wall was built to protect the Hans from other ethnic minorities and part of the wall was built for protection from the Mongols. We were also told that the section of the wall where we would be climbing today was going to be one of the steepest part of the wall.

First off, the Great Wall was a breathtaking view. No picture can ever do justice to the wall, it stretches beyond your peripheral and truly should be the 8th wonder of the world. It is a beautiful creation and a genius work of architect. Climbing the wall was no easy task. Imagine going to the gym and working out on the stair masters machine, however, every three to five steps were anywhere from a quarter to half of the total height as the rest of the stairs. Luckily, there were a few forts or stops on the way up to the top, to check out the view, but mainly for us to take a breather and catch our breath.

Sadly, I did not reach the top. A handful of students made it all the way to the top fort, but most of us did not. Some of us made it about 85% of the way, but then we had to turn back because we had to be back at our checkpoint at a certain time. We simply took too long and ran out of time. One of the teachers, the tour guide, and a few students stayed back and did not attempt the climb. I had a few students with me the whole time on this journey, and we had some nice conversations climbing the wall. We marveled at the architecture of the wall, especially the stairs. We were all in awe of the fort and how cool they felt inside. Most of all, we wondered how the soldiers would have been able to make this climb, in full battle gear, or how life must have been for them to patrol the wall, and their living situation.

This was the ultimate experience for all of us. By the time we all made it back to the bus, we were all exhausted and sweaty. Those that made it to the top, took pride in their journey and happily shared how easy their experience was and how beautiful the view was from up top. Most of us shared how hard and rewarding it was to make it as far as we did, and also echoed the beautiful view. Those that stayed behind, exclaimed that after hearing everyone's remarks, they were glad they did not attempt the trek up the wall. We all rewarded ourselves with ice cream and small gifts from the souvenir shops near the entrance.

As soon as we hit the bus for our two plus hour ride back to Beijing, most of us knocked out on the bus.