China: A Big Beautiful Wall

Yesterday, I left the hostel early after a full western breakfast, which was provided by the hostel and went to the wall with 5 others from the hostel.

After the van picked us up. we went for the 2 approximately 2 hour ride to the Chinese Wall, with the Chinese speaking driver, and then arrived at the cable cars which took us to the wall-it was an approximately 45 minute ride up to the wall. Once there, two options we're available: go in one direction, which was easily walkable with few steps, or the other which had huge steps. I made the decision to do the direction with the huge steps-which was right-it wasn't overcrowded with tourists. I walked up the steep steps to several towers, and enjoyed the weather-it was a beautiful day, just slightly cool, with temperatures in the 50's.

After approximately 1 and 1/2 hours on the wall walking in both directions, I slid down the hill in a bobsled like sled, which was tough, and met the others for lunch which was provided as well also. One of the folks lived in China, and was visiting Beijing with his parents. We discussed what it was like living in China, and some communist policies.

After that we returned back to the hostel, and I set back downtown. i wanted to buy a ticket to the Forbidden City, but it was harder then I thought, so I gave up-nobody would just sell me a plain ticket, so I figured I would take care of it at the hostel. i also needed a new shirt and pants (The shirt I bought at home at a thrift store was literally coming apart, and I left a pair of pants behind at a hostel somewhere), so I went shopping and found a new shirt and slacks for 50 Yuans each (around $7.50). I ate the various street foods, including lamb with spice and a bag of dried salty mushrooms. I kept walking around, and eventually found the metro and went back to the hostel. I had a beer and talked with some of the folks at the hostel, including one who was born in China, about how the new culture of China is displacing it's history.