China > On the Great Wall of China

It’s raining again when I look out of the window in the morning. The weather forecast doesn’t help much. For the past two days, sunshine has been predicted for the coming day, only to be changed to rain again by morning. A pity, because today I am going to the Great Wall of China. Something I have long been looking forward to, and one of the highlights of this trip.

China - The Great Wall in the mist

The Great Wall is something you simply have to see once in your life. To avoid the large tourist groups, I’m not going to Badaling but to the town of Mutianyu. Badaling is the closest to Beijing and therefore attracts many tourists. I also set out before seven o’clock. Even at this early hour, the streets of Beijing are busy. I can imagine that within an hour traffic will come to a complete standstill in the morning rush. I try to get a bit more sleep, but in vain. At half past eight I arrive in Mutianyu at the Great Wall. Luckily, it’s dry. The souvenir vendors are just opening their stalls. To visit the famous Great Wall, I first need to make a twenty-minute climb. I could take the cable car, but that doesn’t really feel appropriate in this setting. I soon regret this decision. The climb is much tougher than expected. It’s warm and humid. Halfway up, I decide to slow down and continue at a much calmer pace. When I turn the final corner, I see the outlines of the wall. Impressive! Passing through the gate, I am actually standing on the world-famous Great Wall.

China - The Olympic Stadium the Birds Nest

Wow! At this early hour, I’m practically alone on the wall. I decide to walk a section. I turn left. It’s misty. The view is limited to at most fifty meters. Occasionally, the clouds part and I can see a bit further. Then the wall reveals itself, winding through the landscape. The Great Wall follows the hills, which means I have to climb and descend steeply to follow the route. At times, the stones are treacherously slippery. I walk from watchtower to watchtower, spending more than an hour on the wall. At watchtower number six I buy a ticket for the toboggan run. Though it doesn’t really fit with the historical surroundings, I still step into the sled. The controls are simple: push the lever forward to accelerate, release to brake. With a few gestures, the attendant explains that I need to lean into the curves. I set off, pushing the lever as far forward as possible and leaning into the bends. After a few curves I catch up with the people in front of me. The American couple ahead of me descends painfully slowly. I have to brake hard to avoid bumping into them. Against the rules, I stop my sled to give them a head start.

China - The Summer Palace in Beijing

The track attendant allows it, keeping an eye out to ensure no one else is coming. But it doesn’t help much—within two bends I’ve caught up with the couple again. I repeat this process until I reach the bottom. I never manage to build up real speed. On the way back to Beijing I stop at the Olympic Park. I stand beside the “Bird’s Nest” stadium of the 2008 Olympic Games. From close up, the special design of the stadium is clearly visible. I also see the Olympic swimming pool with its blue “bubbles.” At night, the bubbles are lit up. The Summer Palace is today’s last stop. The old palace was destroyed by Westerners—“Western barbarians,” as they explain it here. The new palace was built next to it. I stroll past the palace buildings and along the wooden corridor by the lake. I strike up a conversation with an American tourist. She tells me the climb to the pagoda at the top of the hill is very strenuous. She insists that I should buy water first, and she points out the entrance gate.

China - The arch bridge to the island at the Summer Palace

We part ways there. I start climbing the stairs to the temple. Although it is quite a climb, I find her warning a bit exaggerated. From the temple complex I have a view over the lake. I can already see the island in the middle of the lake—my next goal. I descend via the Bronze Temple. It’s striking that everyone takes the main staircase. In the Bronze Temple, right next to the complex, I encounter hardly any visitors. I wander down slowly through the temples and emerge at the harbor. Here lies the emperor’s marble boat. I buy a ticket for the crossing to the island. As I board, I get into conversation with a girl who is the private guide of an elderly Chinese couple. The couple would like to have their photo taken with me—would I mind? Of course not. They also want to know all sorts of things about me. The guide translates their questions. What is my job? What do I think of China? Before I realize it, the boat has reached the island. I say goodbye and quickly take another photo of the lake. Then I walk back to the mainland via the Seventeen-Arch Bridge.