Bucket List: A group of things to do or places to see before one kicks the bucket.
We have never had an official list ourselves, most likely it would simply read “everything,” but when we laid eyes on The Great Wall of China we instantly knew it was near the top of that nonexistent list.
Our first glimpse was from a bus while approaching Juyongguan Pass north of Beijing.
As we climbed into the mountains, the ancient fortification began to materialize out of the city’s famous “haze.”
It was even more breathtaking than the smog we had left below.
The section we were seeing is only a tiny portion of the over five thousand miles still visible today.
In fact, historians believe at least that much has been lost to the ravages of time, so there would be somewhere around thirteen thousand miles total.
The earliest construction probably began nearly 700 years BC as wood and earth barriers to hold off enemies. About five hundred years later the Qin Dynasty unified China and began building more imposing fortifications along the northern border.
Construction continued for about a century, through the Han Dynasty, and then stopped for about a thousand years until resumed by the Jin Dynasty around 1200 AD. Most of what remains now was built or reconstructed during the Ming Dynasty six to eight hundred years ago.
We pulled off the highway at the part of the wall known as the Badaling. Built as part of the Ming construction, it was finished around the time that Columbus was cruising around the new world.
Due to the proximity to Beijing, this is the most visited spot on The Great Wall, and it showed as we began to climb the stairs up to the walkway along the top. It was wall-to-wall people (ba-da ching!)
Reaching the walkway turned out to be next to nothing compared to the climb we faced ahead of us.
From the bottom of the valley, where we were parked, the wall rises in both directions straight up the sides of some mighty steep mountains. But our competitive nature kicked in and we took off through the crowd.
We were under a time constraint, we had a bus to catch if we wanted to make it back to the city, but we were bound and determined to see how far we could go. At the first watchtower we stopped for a breather and an amazing view, then raced up to the next turret.
From our new vantage point we could see the entire valley spread out below, and the people back by the bus were beginning to look like ants.
Looking out over miles of wall snaking over the mountains and valleys it was easy to see why the Chinese have often compared it to a dragon.
But there was still more up to go, so we bolted up even higher.
At this altitude the crowds were thinning, seems we had weeded out anyone who wasn’t at least slightly crazy.
Puffing and panting, and running out of time, we pushed each other ever higher.
“OK, we should turn around now,” drifted down only to be answered by “Oh no you don’t, not until I get above you!”
Under the growing threat of missing the bus, and burning muscles about to stage a mutiny, we finally settled on a draw.
But our thinking that the trip down would be much easier than the climb up turned out to be somewhat flawed.
Coming down may have been faster, but it was definitely more dangerous, and much harder on the old knees than going up.
There was no time for gawking at the scenery on the descent either, every second of attention had to be focused on placing each foot on the proper spot lest we take the trip down literally.
Certainly would have been faster, but tumbling down several thousand feet of ancient stone work didn’t strike us as a good way to end our day.
No need to make The Great Wall the last thing we ever check off our Bucket List.
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com
See more of our adventures in China!
Click here for our full live-blog as we traveled with Holland America aboard the ms Volendam – through Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Japan
I enjoy the report
Thanks, it is quite informative
Nice pictures ! These photos are awesome .Great wall of china is one of the best place of the world . It is one of my favorite place . in future,I will definitely visit this wonderful place . Read more : http://goo.gl/QinPh9
Thanks, and thanks for the link too.
Great photos! Dying to see the Great Wall
Thanks Dan!
Those photos are beautiful! What a trip that must be and a place to visit. What an experience. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Lisa.
I was supposed to visit the great wall years ago when I visited my cousin in Beijing. Unfortunately from the moment I got to my hotel room in Shanghai I was struck with a gout flare up that didn’t leave me until my return to the states. I will return one day and conquer this beast!
Hope you get the chance!
Wow, looks like an incredible experience! My legs would be hurting too..
It was, and so worth the pain.
Awesome! What a great climb and sight. I doubt Randy will be ready to climb it any time soon, but I’d love to see it!
You certainly don’t need to climb like crazy for it to be great.
Some of the best pictures I’ve seen of the Wall. You give a great vantage point. Thank you.
Our pleasure. Thank you!
The construction of the wall is such an awe inspiring feet! I would love to see it in person and great appreciate your review and fabulous photos!
Thanks Mary!
Looks like the ultimate workout but well worth it with a great pay off – the history and views – Wow!
We definitely felt the burn… wow is right!
the Great Wall has been on my bucket list for ever but somehow I never managed to get there. Your photos even make me more eager to go now. I love hiking and a challenge, so I cannot wait to climb the Great Wall myself and see all those impressive vistas.
It’s a good climb but should make every bucket list.