The Wall is Great!

Simply Amazing! Our program planned a trip out to the Great Wall at the Mutianyu section which is about a two hour ride Northeast of Beijing.

The trip up to the Wall starts with many vendors at the base selling food, drinks, and souvenirs.



There was about a 20 minute climb on stairs, some of which are incredibly steep.



It was a rainy day but that didn't stop the amazing view and clear air at the top.













After two hours of walking the Wall it was nice to take the cable swing back down to the base.



For lunch, we stopped at a Jade Factory and were able to see the craftsmen carving the jade. I had no idea that jade came in colors other than green and to spot a fake you have to hold it up to the light to look for cloudiness and strike it to hear the tone and pitch the ringing makes.



Before returning to Beijing, we stopped to see part of the Ming Dynasty Tombs. The site has several different tombs most of which have never been opened.



We visited the Chang Ling tomb and walked down the Spirit Way which is the main pathway to the tombs.





The gold/dark yellow roofs are a sign of an emperor and only he is allowed to use the color.