A quick trip to China leaves us longing for more

OMG! I so Dis-hate you right now. Look at those AWESOME pictures of you on that EMPTY wall.
That's just sooooo great, Wendy.

Glad you and DD got all the way to the top. That looks like a lot of walking and climbing and crawling on all 4's. Well done, you!
 
OMG! I so Dis-hate you right now. Look at those AWESOME pictures of you on that EMPTY wall.
That's just sooooo great, Wendy.

Glad you and DD got all the way to the top. That looks like a lot of walking and climbing and crawling on all 4's. Well done, you!

But you got to see Suzhou....happy to come back with you!! I would have liked to have got to Tower 23 but I was a tad slower than DD on the steps so we might not have made it all the way up there and back our first time round what with all the stopping and photo taking and I probably would have slipped going over the wall and twisted my ankle or something else awkward since I am not as young as I think I am!!.
 


But you got to see Suzhou....happy to come back with you!! I would have liked to have got to Tower 23 but I was a tad slower than DD on the steps so we might not have made it all the way up there and back our first time round what with all the stopping and photo taking and I probably would have slipped going over the wall and twisted my ankle or something else awkward since I am not as young as I think I am!!.

I think I might need to get to Tokyo first. :(
 


I saw that you had started your trip report, but never got around to read more than the beginning. I am finally caught up and now I am planning my trip to China... I am looking forward to Shanghai Disneyland, but I always said that China was not high on my list of countries to visit, now I am thinking that I need to change my opinion. I love your pictures from Beijing as well. Especially that adventurous hot pot meal sounds just fabulous! Looking forward to reading more about your trip!

Oh - and I loved it that you are using the word biro! I grew up learning British English in school and that was one of the first words we learned. I feel like no one I know is ever using that word!! I guess the Americans all call it a pen.
 
I am going to be so sad when this trip report is over. This is my most favorite thread ever!

AAh - you warm the cockles of my heart (another Briticism for you-see below). Thanks. I love reading trip reports so like to give back. I am no good at being funny when I write though - most of the time it is not really me though I love reading other's who are much cleverer than I in that department...and you always get a potted history lesson but you can skip the 'boring bits' if not interested!! (so different to old fashioned slide nights where you had to wait for the person (a dad, an uncle, to move on!)

I saw that you had started your trip report, but never got around to read more than the beginning. I am finally caught up and now I am planning my trip to China... I am looking forward to Shanghai Disneyland, but I always said that China was not high on my list of countries to visit, now I am thinking that I need to change my opinion. I love your pictures from Beijing as well. Especially that adventurous hot pot meal sounds just fabulous! Looking forward to reading more about your trip!

Oh - and I loved it that you are using the word biro! I grew up learning British English in school and that was one of the first words we learned. I feel like no one I know is ever using that word!! I guess the Americans all call it a pen.

Yes I am English! Primary schooling in London, high schooling in country Aus - best of both worlds! We enjoyed parts of Shanghai but Beijing was definitely our more favourite city (apart from SDL of course!) It broke several of my preconceptions and I am looking forward to exploring more of the country one day.
 
DD goes over the wall

DD and a vendor selling chocolates and medals and water. Imagine carrying it all up there every day. This also shows the wall that blocks off access theoretically to Towers 21-23 where the restoration ends.



I decided climbing over the wall and more steps wasn’t for me today so I waited with all the gear for my intrepid DD to go on – though I rather regretted it later. It doesn’t look it here but it actually drops off steeply and is full of broken bricks and scree so you have to climb over very carefully and that top layer of bricks are also about to fall off. Many (mostly younger) people did climb over.


On the other side of the wall – the message is clear lol! All DD’s pics from here on


[URL='http://s1203.photobucket.com/user/gecko290/media/China%202017/Mutianyu/66%20Towers%2021%20to%2023%20are%20now%20closed%20off.%20over%20the%20wall%20she%20goes%20DSC02558%20800x600.jpg.html']
The ”back” side showing some unrestored steps. The wall was only begun to be restored when it was placed under Government protection in 1984 and selected sections, like Mutianyu were restored, many like here cooperatively with external funding.



[URL='http://s1203.photobucket.com/user/gecko290/media/China%202017/Mutianyu/66%20Towers%2021%20to%2023%20are%20now%20closed%20off.%20over%20the%20wall%20she%20goes%20DSC02558%20800x600.jpg.html']
View through a gateway



And through a different gate



The wide view



Tower 21 in some disrepair



The flat stretch between towers 21 and 22 but plenty more steps ahead



A bit of a close up – DD said there always seemed to be more steps stretching ahead upwards



Tower 22



Views looking back across the ridge



DD was tempted to keep going up to Tower 23 but time was ticking on so she didn’t

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The explorer returned

Mum pleased to see a safe return. Most of us were the bagmen waiting with belongings for members of our parties to return.



Another view of the wall to be negotiated.



Having renegotiated the steps with noodly legs (always harder going down than up) a view on our return



Tower 14 again



On the balcony near the cable car. By now we had decided we were too tired to navigate our way up and down the wiggly wall to Tower 6 and the flume.



Memorial stone marking the German contributors to the restoration
(I love the sentiment that is expressed)
http://s1203.photobucket.com/user/gecko290/media/China 2017/Mutianyu/100 DSC02586 581x800.jpg.html


Eating our picnic lunch we brought with us (easy to carry bread and banana and chocolate)



Looking down the wall towards Tower 6 with the cable car and flume. It may be because it was lunch time but this part of the wall seemed busier.



At the end of this run at Tower 1 the wall divides into two with unrestored arms stretching north and south. If you look closely you can see towers on the ridge lines.



From here we caught the cable car back down – our last glimpse of the wall



We used the facilities near the shuttle bus stop (very clean and combo of western and squat again), noticed there was a Subway here if you were hungry, and caught a shuttle bus with a group of school children back to the village proper. There are several places to eat here but apologies I neglected to take any pics of the outlets as we headed straight to our rendezvous with our driver as it was close to 2pm, our agreed meeting time.

Back past the ice, looking incongruous when everything else around it has no snow.



Accounting for heavier traffic once we reached Beijing, we got back around 4pm so a 2 hour trip, and enjoyed some downtime with the internet before our dinner reservations at the hotel restaurant.
 
Oh! I was surprised to see the logo of a well known German company on that stone! And I agree with you about the sentiment expressed there. Considering that we Germans have some very unpleasant recent history with walls, it is nice to see one that now has a positive image. And it is really an amazing structure! Even the not restored parts look still pretty impressive.
 
Oh wow! Now I'm even more sorry that I didn't head to Beijing with you.

That walk on the wall is amazing. So glad that we got to share it with your and your DD vicariously. Thanks for sharing.
 
No clapping? WOW! I don't think I could have helped myself at all with live performers. I always clap.

Dinner looks delish. Did the restaurant fill up after a while?
 
Thanks for getting the wall pics up, it looked so uncrowded. I glad we decided to head to that part instead of Badaling. Even though we are going on a Saturday in later May I'm hopeful less crowded then Badaling.

When DD went over the wall to the unrestored section the sign said "travel ban". Are you not supposed to go over it? Last thing we want is to be arrested in a country where we don't speak their language.

Edited to add: showed DH your TR tonight he is excited too. In re-reading looks like lots crossed past Tower 20 as you mention waiting with people. DH said either we wait for someone else to cross wall first or if no one around then we just go.
 
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Thanks for getting the wall pics up, it looked so uncrowded. I glad we decided to head to that part instead of Badaling. Even though we are going on a Saturday in later May I'm hopeful less crowded then Badaling.

When DD went over the wall to the unrestored section the sign said "travel ban". Are you not supposed to go over it? Last thing we want is to be arrested in a country where we don't speak their language.

Edited to add: showed DH your TR tonight he is excited too. In re-reading looks like lots crossed past Tower 20 as you mention waiting with people. DH said either we wait for someone else to cross wall first or if no one around then we just go.

Lots of people climbed over. I think it is just that some parts are starting to crumble a bit and its not being as well maintained they put the closure up. I am sure people all over the place walk on unrestored parts of the wall. There was no indication of a fine or anything other warning of consequences if found doing so, so I suspect it's just for your own safety and covers the Chinese Gov't if some-one hurt themselves they can say well the sign warns them not to access this part of the wall. I was amused the travel ban sign was on the reverse side of the wall! I am sure plenty of people will be climbing over with you, just do take care as you do so as the top layer of bricks are getting very wobbly. I imagine anytime it will be quieter than Badaling especially if,like Disney, you get there by e.g. 9am or 9.30 before the big tour buses arrive which will be more like 11 after they spend all am circling hotels picking up people. Enjoy!! Wish I was going back!
 
@Aussie Wendy Oh I live in Brisbane too. I hated Cathay Premium too cramped

We found the plane more roomier than our last Air New Zealand flight to US (Houston) and our last Virgin flight to US. In fact it felt a bit roomier than Singapore but we were on one of Cathay's newest planes. We have only ever travelled Economy so if you got used to eg Premium Economy or higher it would probably feel cramped. We were disappointed that Air NZ who used to be so comfy have changed seating, lightened I suspect for the long haul to Houston, and seats were much less padded in Economy. Goal is to try and budget to go up a level whenever we can in the future for the 10 hour+ flights but for around 8 hours it doesn't bother me.
 

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