5000 YEARS OF HISTORY

Apparently reminds her of someone

The Great Wall of China beckoned us on day two but not before a visit to a jade ‘factory’ which was really a front for selling jade to an unsuspecting public. To be fair there were three artisans carving jade ornaments for the pleasure of this captive audience and it should be said that jade carving in China has a proud history of more than 5000 years. And once again, the work displayed here was magnificent with prices to match. It was a long drive to the display of jade jewelry and artifacts which the residents of bus six were pleased to enjoy as a respite from the rigors of our first day in China. 

School holidays in China match those of Canada with a break in July and August and return to school in September. So, this was Monday and Tienanmen Square was closed today meaning that holiday makers, local and foreign, headed for the Great Wall. The weather also matched the previous day - hot and steamy. There are many different sections of the Wall that tourists are taken to. Some are more challenging than others.

When our designated section of the Great Wall loomed up through the bus window, it looked just like it does in all the pictures you have seen except this was wall to wall climbers on both sides of the Wall from bottom to top. The greatest challenge to climbing the Great Wall is the unevenness of the height of steps as well its steep incline, of course.  Now, I will give you every excuse I can manufacture for not making it right to the top: There were too many climbers, I was still in recovery from the previous day, my feet hurt, I was more concerned about the downward journey, it was too hot, I had to keep an eye out for M who had not gone too far and might be abducted; so, not long after after passing the first tower, I decided I had completed the bucket list and gingerly worked my way back down. In all seriousness, it really is a reasonably dangerous activity as you depend also on those in front as well as those behind not to trip and fall. Despite all that, it was a great experience to feel this piece of China’s amazing history.

Our bus then returned us to the Jade Factory where a Chinese meal had been prepared before news broke about the afternoon’s optional tour was being promoted also as ‘not to be missed’! It was to include a Rickshaw Ride and a meal prepared by a local Hutong family to give an impression of traditional village life. Price: $85 each. But we were all ready for this new hard sell and so many declined the tour that the bus returned most people back to the hotel after passing the sites of the 2008 Olympics facilities.