The Great Wall: Badaling

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We caught a train to Badaling (one of many many wall-viewing options) from Beijing North Station. It's only an hour ride, so it's a popular tourist destination - but not in Winter, when only the brave venture out. The scenery is stunning, and we were lucky enough to go on one of the rare snow days.

Walking on the wall, our route averaged a 45 degree angle (luckily it meanders a bit), and some of the stairs were a foot high.



Every step was worth it, even at the time. Each moment on the Great Wall is a slightly different postcard to the one before. The wall is colossal; it is big enough to handle many tourists at once; it is old, and epic, and boggles the mind. But above all that, it has a curvaceous grace that exactly fits the magnificent surroundings.



In case you're not catching my point: I was impressed. I think it might be the ultimate tourist destination - and the difficulty of walking along only makes it more rewarding.

#walks
#outdoor
#near_beijing
#day_trips
%wnbeijing