Chairman Mao and the Great Wall #2/9

23 July 2015

For the first time ever, I hired a tour guide for the day. I only had a short time in Beijing and didn't want to spend in trying to figure out public transport.I have to admit,  It was well worth it. In Tianamen Square there is a mausoleum for chairman Mao. before you go in, they pat you down and run you through a metal detector. You cannot take anything inside except your ID. Once inside there is a huge statue of Mao seated in a chair. People lay hundreds of yellow plastic flowers at his feet that they buy while standing in line. When the pile of flowers grows too large, workers gather them by the armful and take them back outside to be resold. You must keep moving in line and when you finally make it into the next room, there he is, in a glass coffin. Chairman Mao is covered by a Chinese flag except for his face which is there in all its embalmed glory, a face that has been dead since 1974. From a western point of view, I found it baffling that he was so celebrated. I think I was the only white person in the entire mile long line to gaze on China's revered hero.  

Walking on to the forbidden city, home of emperors from the 1400s to 1911. Where every structure has a name such as, Hall of Respectful Thoughts, Belvedere of Pleasant Sounds, and Gate of Correct Conduct. 

I thought the best part was the Imperial Gardens where ancient juniper trees arched over brilliantly painted pagodas. Everything painted four colors and covered in intricate designs. Gold for royalty, blue for heaven, green for earth, and red for strength.

But my favorite part of the day was the Great Wall of China. I took a chair lift up and then raced up impossibly steep steps to the end of the restored section of the wall. The path became overgrown and the guard towers were crumbling into the trees. Looking out you can see the wall extending in multiple directions with towers perched on every high and low point.

 The humidity turned me into a soggy, sweaty mess but I ran in the other direction, wanting to see as much of the wall as possible before I had to leave for the airport. It would have been so easy and wonderful to just keep walking to the next tower, and the next, and then just one more...

 This part of the wall was built in the 1300s and is one of the steepest sections. This was evident by all the wheezing tourists, painfully crawling upwards stair by stair. Sadly it was time to go, but the way down was an exhilarating toboggan ride twisting and turning through banked corners with only a hand brake between the legs for any hope of control. Just wonderful!

 Onwards to Mongolia!