The Great Wall

 Beijing 2016

 Anne & Bev - on the Wall at last!

(click on any picture to enlarge)

Today is our great adventure to the Great Wall at Mutianyu.  There are other parts of the Wall accessible from Beijing but Mutianyu is less crowded, better restored and has magnificent scenery.

Some of the benefits of a private guide are no queuing for tickets and closer access.  Vivie, our guide, was allowed to park higher up the mountain than the buses and cars but from here we had to walk to the chairlift.  There was also the choice of a cable car and a toboggan ride down!

Following Vivie on the chair lift.

Several times we crossed the toboggan run as it weaved its way 5,000 metres down the mountain.  (Michelle Obama and her daughters took this ride in 2014.)

The chair lift took us right to the Wall!

On the Wall the views are magnificent!  Although we're only 80 kms from Beijing the pollution creates a dull haze. 

 What a challenge it must have been to build the wall on the steep mountain passes and transport the supplies for an army of guards!

A guard post and barracks on the wall and inside..........

          

                                             

 

Local farmers have planted fruit trees - including chestnuts, figs and apricots - along the sides of the wall.  

In times of invasion or an emergency, messages were sent to other guard posts by semaphore or flags.  On the top of one of the towers was this stone cavity for a flagpole.  Platforms stacked with wood were also placed away from the wall and lit to raise the alarm.  

Along the short length of the wall we walked there were two staircases to the outside - both on the "inner" or Beijing side. 

Today there are WiFi aerials and discreet security cameras on the wall.

Vivie said this was the only time in 12 years that someone had provided her with morning tea! 

The Great Wall at Mutianyu is a 2 1/2 kms walk with 23 watchtowers about 100 metres apart.  It has some defences rarely seen on other parts of the wall, including crenelations on both sides of the parapats; and a very rare  three towered post the Zhengguan Tai (see centre bottom) to guard the Mutianyu Pass.

The tower on the top of the hill is as far as visitors are allowed to go.  After that the wall veers off in two different directions and the wall is quite deteriorated and dangerous. 

 Anne & Vivie heading towards the exit gate (with red Chinese flag).  Down the stairs with the green roof is a cafe and souvenir shop and, beyond, the cable car station.

Near the gate is a couple with a yellow flag.  As they came closer, I asked them where they were from and, in perfect English they replied: "Equador!"  They were a young husband and wife who live and work in London.

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Our wonderful guide and driver, Vivie Pan, who took us on a magical journey to the Great Wall, the rural countryside and the Ming Tombs.   She was professional, friendly, well-informed and gracious - she made this day forever memorable.

We highly recommend her as a Beijing guide - www.beijingvivietours.com

Also check her out - Vivie Pan - on Trip Advisor