Badda-Bing Badaling

The Great Wall was, well…wait for it….no. I’m not going to do it. We had a very nice time on the wall yesterday. Even though we visited at Badaling, the point known the world over for sweaty, khaki-coated tourists (there was even a battery recycling bin for digital camera refuse), it was quite amazing. Fortunately for us, it was a blue-sky day, something I’m still baffled by and thankful for.

As I mentioned earlier, we’ve been touring with a police escort, but yesterday, we weren’t the top dogs on the Wall, which BOCOG apparently wasn’t happy about. The President of Mexico arrived before us and enjoyed a private stroll as the rest of us poor slobs (sweaty too, some khaki) waited it out in a courtyard. That is, after we played a vicious game of elbows with the locals to get in the door. Pushing through people isn’t rude in China, it’s the way of life, and we got quite the welcome.

The Wall itself is beautiful and surprisingly steep in places. Despite the pitch, we saw many older men and grannies hoofing it up. Very impressive.

The Ming Tomb was also on the agenda yesterday and while a lesser-known place the world over, it was well worth the trip. The only emperor’s tomb excavated and open to the public, it is a peaceful and beautiful place.