Yesterday, my colleague, Eric, and I took a trip to the Great Wall before our afternoon work. Of the nearly 4,000 miles of wall we visited the Mutianyu section. It’s apparently a great alternative for those who want to avoid crowds along the highly popular Badaling section.

After riding the chair lift to the wall the clear skies gave us a breathtaking view of mountains and small towns below. This well kept section of the wall is truly impressive and a must see for any visitor.

The drive to the wall must have taken us over 2 hours due to the morning traffic so I was ready for a bathroom break. The map on the wall said there was a bathroom nearby but I couldn’t find it. So, down some stairs and around a corner to the base of the wall… you know the rest. Another item I can cross off my list.

During our wall walk we ran across people from many different countries. The best part had to have been when some Chinese grabbed us making motions to take pictures with them. Eric’s a 6 ft+ guy with red hair and a freckly complexion. I think he’s really what attracted them but I got to pose for multiple photos with about 5 different people. A couple of them did the infamous asian peace sign pose. Eric had them all saying “one, two, three, cheese” by the end of it.

Part of the experience is walking past all of the vendors (at the bottom of the chair lift) who stand in front of you and try to sell you the same t-shirt as the last person. The ones who speak better english would say “come back to see me - I remember you.” Of course, they actually do remember you when you get back down and push their cheap trinkets on you. I did haggle my way to a 5 yuan ($0.63 US) pack of 10 postcards. Mostly, I enjoy the haggling - I set a price, walk away, and then they run after you. I even haggled for some crackers with a vendor while on the wall. She pointed at her big backpack of food and said “I hiked from Mongolia” trying to get me to pay a higher price. I think she lived in the town at the bottom of the hill with the rest of them so I didn’t fall for it. For a communist country they sure have capitalism down pat.