Great Wall, Beijing

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Fondest memory: This was my highlight to China in general! Nothing beats accomplishing a feat off your bucket list then a visit to the Great Wall. I wanted to sit back, absorb, and touch a part of one of manmade's greatest feats. My tour guide called it the world's largest cemetery, due to the fact how many lives were lost when they built it. To step in a place that's survived dynasties and centuries was truly magical. This made my trip. I only wish I could've stayed here a bit longer. Something that made my day towards the end of our visit was the sun came through the mist and the clouds and warmed the site up a bit. It was a brisk, cloudy morning when we went.

Favorite thing: Mutianyu Wall is one of the favourite sections of the wall. You will enjoy the view without fear of falling down. The steps are not very high or steep. If you will walk it with an old or young companion, you won't have to be extremely careful with your steps. Still, I recommend that you take the cable car so you will enjoy climbing up and down the Great Wall. A one-way ticket costs 50 RMB but it is worth it. You will get to see a great view of the wall as the cable car moves up/down. And when you reach the platform, you will have the energy to explore the Great Wall itself.

I highly recommend Janet, my Tour Guide. She knows Mutianyu Wall by heart. Janet speaks English very well, has a sense of humour and will help make your trip unforgettable. You may reach her at 13011169462, janet_english@sina.com or lihui0807@yahoo.com

Fondest memory: My fondest memories of my trip to the Mutianyu Great Wall aside from the great walk and fantastic views: a) I and my Tour Guide rode in the cable car which has a notice written down "President Clinton was in this cable car" or something like that, b) I and my Tour Guide happily posed together only to find out that the tourist who took our photo did not include the Great Wall as a background. We ended up laughing so hard as we began to climb up the Great Wall.

Favorite thing: I spent 3 days in Beijing and could visit almost every important place. If you'll be there for a day or so, I recommend you to visit the Great Wall and the Forbidden City at least

Fondest memory: I have great memories from this place, it was so much more of what I expected it to be. Walking on the Great Wall and through the Forbidden City were the most amazing experiences I took home. Definitely a place to visit before you die

Favorite thing: So many landmarks....nowhere are their so many examples of great human achievement but here..the Great Wall , Tara Cotta Soldiers...The Forbidden City

Fondest memory: For me seeing the Great Wall for the first and most likely the last time will always be my fondest memory....there are so many greats ...but if I have to choose this is it!!

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Favorite thing: Lourdes and the Pyramids: I tell about the crowds, the people there!
I took a bus in Beijing (bus N° 919, for 12 Y for the 70km to the great wall; by taxi it is 250Y. . . ) and arrived at the Great wall (great wall of Ba Da Ling part) one and a half hour later. I will not write and describe a lot as this place seem one of the most visited places on the planet; looking at all the people I almost decided to return to Beijing on the spot! Well I kept there, paid entrance fee, and went to visit the wall.
All what you can see is the renovated part of the wall, and attractions (they did not attract me! I was not in the mood for that), museums and other facilities.
Many people and noise, music: there was music, loudspeakers, etc. . . and a display on a hill for the future Olympics in Beijing.
I went up on the left side, where it seemed a bit more quiet, and after walking for 10mn, the crowds became looser, less people and I could begin to breathe and look quietly and the landscape and at the wall.
I must say, I do not like the renovated things which look too new, too clean, and the renovated part of the great wall is like that.
Many vendors (souvenirs, hats, false old coins (may be true coins from the Ming or other imperial era) spoil the place too, but at the end I did not care of them. The only interesting thing on the wall was to look at the landscape, look at this wall in the mountain, turning and climbing looking like a giant snake sometimes.
Look at my off the beaten path tip about the wall to know what can be much more interesting to do at the wall!

To get there:Bus, 919
Taxi
Tour operators organise buses there.

Fondest memory: Main picture:Do you see the crowds on the wall? You understand what I mean with Mourdes, the Pyramids, and why I almost returned to Beijing?
Picture 2:This wall looks too clean, too new, no? I was not expecting to foind something like that here.Most beautiful is the landscape with the wall running on the mountains.
Picture 3: At the entrance of the Ba Da Ling part of the Great Wall; maps and explanations for what to do and where.For the interested people there seems a lot to do, but as already written, not in the crowds for me.
Picture 4: People everywhere, big ads on the hill (here for the Olympic games), and you do not hear the loudspeakers with supermarket music . . .
Picture 5: Ah, and here the vendors near the entrance of the Ba DaLing area; they are almost aggressive, want to sell you absolutely something if you happen just to have a glimpse at their things; one grabbed my arm and I almost lost patience, which in China would not at all have had a good effect; just try to keep cool with these people, they try to do their job.

Favorite thing: The Great Wall is a pretty important tourist spot. You might want to pick a better day than I did to go!! It was really cold when I went. (way below freezing) and the wind was blowing about 30 mph! And it was dusty/foggy too. I had hoped to get some nice panoramic pictures of the wall but that didn't happen. I wasn't able to see much more then 100 feet in any direction!!I should have gone back another day but I was running out of time. I only had 7 days left on my 30 day visa and still wanted to go to Shanghai and take the Ferry boat back to Hong Kong.

Favorite thing:
No need to introduce this wonder but here is a short history.

It is a huge construction which took over 1000 years to build. It was China´s Emperor Qijn Shihuang, who started the work 2500 years ago. The purpose was to keep out barbarians from the north. In the end barbarians just went around it and got in anyway.

The wall is more than 3000 miles (5.000KM) long, even if at the oldest sections it has crumbled down. The views of the snaking walls with watch towers are something not to be missed nor soon forgotten!

You don´t need to go to space or upper levels of atmosphere, just climb it; the easiest way to visit The Great Wall is to go by car or take a tourist bus from Beijing Railway Station to Badaling.

It is believed that it's the only man-made structure visible from space...
...but actually it is NOT true!

Fondest memory: The Great Wall is truly amazing... It is situated out among the gorgeous scenery of the mountains... You cannot believe how huge it is and the way it turns and twists around... This photo illustrates the incredible steepness that it has at some places...!

The two ladies pictured are scientists from the famed Mayo Clinic who were part of my tour group...