"All in all it's just another brick in the wall". Like Pink Floyd taught us once in the beginning of the 80ties. Walking along on the Great Wall of China this sentence becomes quite a new meaning. Some parts of this world famous wall is well restored, others are seeming to fall apart. No wonder, as they are quite old and also in some remote locations.
Beijing is a good spot to start if you want to have a look at this wall. Just some hours drive outside the city, you'll have access to a view and a walk. There is public busses going out to some of the venues or you can hire a car and driver, who then will take you to the part you want and pick t=you up some where else, after your hike. Just walk around the entrance of the Forbidden city or on Tian'anmen Square, and people will approach you and offer you the trip. And it isn't expensive, for about 400 to 600 Yuan (40 to 60 Euros) you can have a driver and a car for the whole day, and get exately where you like. We joined a tour arranged by the Backpackers Hostel. It was great as it took us to a more remote part 3 hours ride outside, and we had to hike about 8 kilometers on the wall, and best of all, also on a part not to crowded with tour groups in high heels, as it was a quite rough climb on a big unrestored part of the great wall.
The feeling of hiking there was worth the trip itself. As you can see the wall on the hill and down the valleys, you get a humble feeling. This thing is build for hundreds and hundreds years ago, but still -kind of- standing. It is maybe also one of the buildings in the world, what every child know about in an early age as it is surrounded with kind of a myth or legend.
I was just stunned as I approached it and saw how it was up there on the hills and just continued infront and behind on the horizon.
That we had bit of a struggle to shake the souvinier sales men and women, who traced us, of, was at the end worth the trouble, and this hike on The Great Wall will still be one of the upmost good experiences of this first real visit to the great neighboor to the north.
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