No one ever told me that I needed to climb to the Great Wall in order to climb the Great Wall...
Over 1,000 steps later, the sting in my quads reasoned that any invaders able to make their way to the base of the wall itself (which is only about 20 feet tall in some areas) justly earned passage into that territory. Our group after having accomplished this feat:
Its path extends for miles, and the climb was often unsteady, but no other wall can match the wonder as seen from the Great Wall of China.
The morning was hot, and the only breeze we enjoyed swept in from the windows of the Wall's watch towers. I look out--through the thin layer of Beijing smog--and wonder how many Chinese families were affected by this great wall. Did my ancestors help cement the now-weathered bricks I stepped on? How many sons never returned home from their labor? Though this ancient, long fortress never really did a great job keeping out invaders, I'd like to think that millions of Chinese workers did not work in vain.
Many crevices and stones bear man's blood and sweat, but the culmination of his labor remains a marvel to the world centuries later and for centuries to come. I wonder what those men would say if they could see what their work had accomplished: some may respond in indignation, and some with excitement, but I suppose that some may also respond as speechless as I--honored to have taken part in China's rich and extensive legacy.
there are stories behind the build of this great wall. maybe you can search it from the web to find some of them. or wait until we visit you to tell about some.
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