Yesterday we all did the required China tourist trip and went to the Great Wall--whew!! Let me tell you that is one heck of a climb. There were parts that were so steep I had to use my hands and feet to get up the wall. It was treacherous, but it was a good experience.
I have never been heckled so much in my life as I was yesterday. These people called "wall buddies" try to pretend that they are your friend and will speak English to you and teach you some Chinese, they will help you down the mountain and lead you on shortcuts--which are really long cuts that lead you to yet another area in which you have to buy a ticket...and when they are ready to go back to where they started on the wall they try to sell you things for outrageous prices and if you don't buy it they will have an emotional breakdown and tell you about their children and how far they have to come everyday to get to the great wall. So Willie and I had to shell out 150 kuai which only about 20 bucks, but that money can go a long way in china. Anyways, it was a great experience--I learned a lot about what lengths people will go to to earn a buck. But, I am sure those people needed it because they seemed like country folk to me so I feel good about my expensive "wall Buddy" even though it ended badly when she called me cheap and started yelling at me...but it is all for the experience right? Well, that is what I am telling myself. So, I will NEVER go to the great wall again, but I am very glad that I went because it is an experience I will never forget! The wall was so beautiful and the trees and shrubs on the mountains were beautiful. It was so great to be surrounded by history. We even saw the houses that they workers lived in while building the wall. They were stone houses surrounded by corn fields. The workers had an old smooth stone mill that was pulled by horse, and water ponds for drinking and raising fish. The whole walk I just had to repeat to myself for confidence "At least we aren't building it"
2 comments:
Wow... what awesome pictures you posted Willie. We love hearing from you two and especially love seeing the pictures with you in them. I suppose that's because we worry about you and want to see that you are both healthy and well. Carly, we miss you dearly and think about you all the time. Love Dad, Hayley, Eleanor and Katherine.
Thanks for writing this.
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