Visiting the Great Wall of China early one Sunday morning

Going to Great Wall of China required getting up early. At first I thought the tour that I had booked was a group one but since it was the middle of winter and Beijing had been experiencing lots of smog that reduced visibility, I was the only one. The day started early with a long drive from Beijing to the Great Wall with the temperature dropping to -5 but thankfully the car was warm and so it didn’t feel too bad.

When the guide asked me if I wanted to climbed the 400 steps or take the ski lift up I eagerly chose the steps but the ski lift option soon became more attractive but by that time it was too late. The only benefit to climb up to the wall was that it was a great way to keep warm.

After the little exercise session we got to the top and the effort to climb all those steps was so worth it. Since it was early on a Sunday morning, the wall seemed deserted. It was also so quiet, except for the clucking of several chickens and later someone singing Italian opera.

It was great to learn more about the history of the wall and that it was built to keep the Mongolians out and the Chinese in rather than to keep the rabbits out. It was also built as a mode of getting soldiers from one part of the country to another.

After a few hours of enjoying the amazing view it was ready for lunch which was the usual rice and a few local dishes which was really nice and so much nicer than traditional English food which is so bland.

On the way home we stopped for a massage which was a perfect way to sooth sore feet and legs after vaulting up (and down) 400 steps.

Luckily, Monday’s little adventure around Beijing didn’t involve getting up super early but it did involve visiting the Forbidden City, Temple of Haven and Tiananmen Square, all of which were very interesting and Tiananmen Square was especially moving. We didn’t really talk about the square much; I guess the Chinese Government don’t want it discussed that much.

 Tiananmen Square

The trip back was equally much of an adventure. Trying to get a correct ticket was a nightmare but it was great to travel back to Shanghai with the super fast train that goes up to 30o km per hour and links two of Asia's biggest train stations. 

I got home at 1 am, totally exhausted but happy that it was such a great final weekend in China.