The Great Wall of China

Day two in Beijing began very early as we were planning on going to the Great Wall in a location called Mutianyu which was a bit further out than the popular tourist location. Emily had looked into the best and cheapest way to get out there which we followed. 1) Walk to the subway station, 2) take the metro to the bus station, 3) take a public bus north to Huairou, 4) find an independent driver to hire for the day, 5) haggle for a good price and get there as early as possible, 6) spend 3-4 hours at the Great Wall and work your way back to Beijing via driver and bus.

And things actually worked according to plan...including McDonalds for breakfast. Plus we met a girl (Hilary) from Taiwan who was on the bus actually heading to the same place as us planning on hiring a driver in Huairou, so we decided to combine our efforts, use her Chinese haggling skills and split the cost four ways instead of three. Everything worked great and we found a driver for a decent price. According to my sister he was kind of annoying and rude though I couldn't tell we he was going on about. All I really remember is sitting in the front praying that he would stop turning around to talk to the ladies because everytime he opened his mouth I almost puked from the putrid smell coming out. Oh, it was bad.

We started getting higher in elevation and I could notice we were getting into real mountain country. The Wall finally became visible and shortly after we arrived in the parking lot where all the festivities were going on. Vendors galore, everything ultra expensive. For a long time I had it in my mind that I wanted to hike from the base up to the actual Wall itself. I didn't want any ski lift or gondola thing to take me up. But our driver kept telling me that I definitely did not want to do that, that it would be too difficult for me, that the roads were washed out...really I think he had a partnership with ski lift people and wanted to give them our sales. In the end, I decided to go with all the ladies and take the lift up which really was a lot of fun. And ultimately it gave me the opportunity to hike the great length of the Wall that I did.

We wandered around and took pictures for a little bit. Then we started to head west on the wall until we reached a bit of climb and Mom decided that was as far as she was going to go. So Emily, Hilary and I pressed forward up a pretty steep climb which led to some gorgeous views in both directions. The steps were pretty small, almost like half a step...they had been redone and restored as it was a heavily trafficked tourist area. Once we reached the top we could see the steep climb that was about a quarter of a mile ahead and it looked treacherous. But my mind was made up. I had about an hour and a half and I was determined to go as far as possible. So I said goodbye to Hilary and Emily for the moment and ventured on.

Best decision of the trip. What came next were probably my favorite moments of my entire summer thus far. First of all, let me just say that the Great Wall is the most incredible structure I have ever seen or stepped foot on. The Sydney Opera House is a close second, but the Great Wall seems to be in a league of its own in just the vast size and the time period it was built within the wild intensity of its location in the mountains. Breath taking when you really think about it. Now unfortunately there was a haze over the mountains that kept me from seeing long distances but as I continued on and got higher and higher I had an incredible vantage of the Wall in its enormity. It is a massive and treacherous structure.

I came to a spot (which was my favorite spot on the Wall) that twisted around and had two humps in the middle of the curvature. Really beautiful part of the Wall in my opinion. I sat down just to soak it all in and jot down a few sentences in my journal. Just the day before I did the same thing just before we left the Forbidden City. As the sun performed a golden glow on the Palace I just sat and soaked it in. Incredible to think of the places I have been blessed to see and experience.

As I was sitting on the Great Wall of China I just sat and listened. I was pretty far away from the buzz of the tourist traffic and only one group passed me, gleefully chatting with one another in French. I peered to my right where the ridge of the mountain continued to climb into the West, the Wall following its jagged ridge. I could smell the white flowers blooming from the quiet trees behind me. As I sat there on the Wall my life began to slow down and I was able to listen. To hear the noise inside my head. To clear out the confusion from between my ears and wipe everything clean. And God met me there, on the Great Wall of China. I felt His calling on my life, a reassurance of my identity in Him alone. I was a small speck sitting on a dot which sat on a tiny piece of this universe. Yet, as small as I am I felt giant. That feeling is the greatest single feeling I have ever known. To be sitting on such a grand structure knowing I am far Greater because of He who lives within me.

So I hurried on and finally reached the path which held a series of what looked like a thousand stairs...and these were big and steep stairs. But I was determined and motivated by time and quickly scurried up the stairway. But to my surprise I found that the Wall continued to sky upwards as I finished the first level. But I had come too far to just stop at this point so I carried on. And eventually I was pretty much all alone and the Wall was back in its original and untouched form. Gorgeous, it really was. And I was so high up I could see all the distance I had come. It was phenomenal. The air was clearer and cooler and I felt like I had tackled the largest obstacle I had ever faced. Truly a great feeling of accomplishment. There was a Chinese guy up there with me who kept asking me to take pictures of him and then wanted to take pictures of me which was pretty funny. At the very top there was a couple selling some nic nacs and at this lady offered me this accomplishment medal thing for 180 Yuan which I was able to barter down to 20! And they engraved it for me and everything...pretty sweet.

From there I sped back and met up with the ladies. And we jumped on these little sled car toboggan things which were awesome and before we knew it we were back in the smelly guys car. Once back in Beijing Emily took us to this pizza place called the Tube Station which made us the largest pizza I have ever seen in my life...for only $18! It was a great day.

Here is the Great Wall video:

Much love to all.

-b garrison

Beijing: the Forbidden City

Well. Time continues to fly a million miles an hour...and I have some catching up to do.

It was over a month ago now that Emily, Mom and I arrived in Beijing and jumped into a taxi headed for the Hutongs. But I remember it as clear as any other portion of the trip. Our goal the first day was to get into the Forbidden City before it closed...anything after that would be bonus. So I will say that we had quite the successful day in Beijing, despite some serious heat and the intense shine of the sun through the layer of pollution.

We arrived in the Hutongs at our hostel and took some time to get settled in and eat lunch. From there we hurried to the subway and made our way to the city center where Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City are located. The metro was absolutely packed...it seemed that we hit some sort of traffic at just the right moment; kids going to or from school, people going home from work, or perhaps it was just normal Beijing. Either way, we arrived at the city center and walked outside to see the entrance to the Forbidden City on our right and Tiananmen Square on our left. Absolutely mind blowing at first sight...to think of ALL the history in this specific area was incredible.

There was quite the crowd, but it wasn't too bad. It was pretty hot that day, I can remember forgetting to bring a water bottle and being too stubborn to pay for water...and I regretted that decision later as my lips felt like sandpaper and my throat as dry as cardboard. The sun was out but it was hard to tell with the polluted haze overhead. It was somewhat of a searing heat.

We walked through a couple different levels of walls before entering the actual City, but when we did it blew me away. There was a phenomenal size and grandeur to the place. I felt like I was in Mulan where the Huns attack the city filled with people. The beauty and architectural glory of the Forbidden City is truly remarkable. I was loving it. One could certainly get lost just exploring the place and could take literally all day to do it...and you still would run out of time. There were all sorts of side alleys and maze like areas to discover off the main areas. The gardens were also very lovely to the rear of the Palace. Pretty cool trees and gardening skill.

After our time in the Forbidden City we walked across the street to Tiananmen Square, which is really nothing more than that...a large square in the midst of the government building, the palace, the history museum and the rest of the city. It was nothing but paved ground...no shrubbery, no fountains, no seating, nothing to encourage any kind of gatherings I suppose. There were police everywhere and two huge screens which were showing a celebratory communist anniversary video.

For dinner we wanted to eat Peking duck and we went on quite the adventure to find this specific restaurant that we eventually found with the help of several different people and lots of walking. The duck was a good experience and it really did taste good...but thinking back to it now makes me sick. The cuts of duck were so fatty and rich, oh I think I'm going to puke just thinking about it. I ate a lot that night and regretted it later on that evening. The rest of the carcass that was not sliced finely for us was cooked in bits and parts and given to us in a bowl to gnaw on. Almost like eating fried chicken, with bones and stuff inside.

After dinner we got back on the metro and headed to the Olympic Park, the site of the 2008 Olympics. The Bird's Nest (main stadium) and Water Cube (swimming arena where Phelps broke the record) were in this area along with the basketball arena and a few other areas and the giant torch. First of all, I love the Olympics so it is always special to see an actual Olympic site. Secondly, this meant that I had been to the last four summer Olympic host cities (Atlanta, USA; Sydney, AUSTRALIA; Athens, GREECE; Beijing, CHINA) within the year which is pretty cool, if I do say so myself.

All in all it was a fantastic day. An exhausting day. But a full and enjoyable day...great way to kick off Beijing!

Here is the video of our first day:

Beijing Part 2 is coming soon. Summer is almost over, which I am actually very thankful for...while it has been good I can finally say that I am looking forward to more routine in my life. Pretty soon I will probably be begging for some unplanned adventure to occur...but until then I look to the future with eager anticipation while I press through the present.

-b garrison