The Littlest Soldier

By now, several people were curious about what I was taking pictures of and were all smiles to see my tiny warrior patrolling the Great Wall. Quite a few asked me if it would be okay if they took aMeer informatie
Steep Steps

I'm wondering how Kathy is doing with her climb up the Great Wall. This section where we are looks to be very steep and difficult. Although it looks hard, she's determined to make it. I know thatMeer informatie
Mini Us

After everyone who wanted to was able to get a shot of the Lego Hun figure, I decided to get a few pictures of Lego me and Kathy. They don't look exactly like us but, for toys, I think that they areMeer informatie
Up and Up

This view, to me, really shows just how steep the climb up the Great Wall actually is. It's like climbing up the side of a mountain! Kathy must be in really great shape if she's able to do it.
Selfie Time

The Lego minifigures of us are taking a break for a selfie. Kathy has become so good at taking these sort of shots but I'm not very proficient at it. It's hard to judge what angle to use and I'm neverMeer informatie
Where Has It Gone?

The Great Wall is over 2,300 years old nearly 1/3 of it has disappeared without trace. I guess that it's just crumbled down over time. I'm very happy that the Great Wall is so well taken care of now.Meer informatie
Great Wall Trivia

In a rather macabre bit of trivia, the Great Wall of China has been called the longest cemetery on Earth. Over a million people died building the Wall and archaeologists have found human remainsMeer informatie
The Long Climb

While I was down below exploring the Wall and taking pictures, Kathy was climbing up all of those steps, determined to get to the top. It doesn't look very crowded up there. I'm guessing that mostMeer informatie
So Green!

All the trees and bushes make everything look so green. I wish we could come back here and see the Great Wall in all the different seasons. I'm thinking that this place would look beautiful with allMeer informatie
No Crowds!

The Chinese holiday National Day is coming soon. National Day is actually a week long holiday in which nearly the whole country goes on vacation. Because of this, we were warned that the Great WallMeer informatie
Climbing

While I was on the lower part of the Great Wall, Kathy was climbing it, determined to make it to the top. Here, she's taking a short, but much needed, break.
Markers

Kathy saw quite a lot of these trail markers as she went up the Great Wall. Each one that she passed on her steep climb felt like a victory.
Enjoying the View

While Kathy was still climbing the Walls, and was nearing the top, I was still at the bottom level, relaxing and taking it easy. I would have liked to make the climb but I don't think that I missedMeer informatie
She Made It!

Kathy finally made it to the top of the Wall! The trail stopped at 12 Fortress. I'm not sure what those markers are measuring but she passed all of them. She looks very tired but so happy!
A View From the Top

This is what Kathy saw from the top of the Wall. The view is amazing but I think that I was expecting her to be higher up. I'm guessing that her trail had a lot of twists and turns, adding a lot ofMeer informatie
Waiting

A few of the people from our tour group are returning and I'm just starting to get a glimpse of Kathy coming back. Not everyone made it to the top but they all look exhausted.
Victorious!

Kathy looks exhausted from her hike up into the mountains but the important thing is, she did it. I'm so proud of her for sticking to it and finishing the difficult climb.
My Hero!

I felt so proud of Kathy as I saw her coming down the steps to finish her trek up the Great Wall. She looks so happy! Not many of the people from our tour group made it to the top and, oddly, all ofMeer informatie
Ready to Leave

After Kathy, and a few other stragglers, got back, it was time for us to leave. Lisa, our tour guide, was complaining a bit that everyone was taking too long and we had to get moving. I didn't careMeer informatie
Bye, Great Wall!

With one last look back, we all got on the tour bus and prepared to move on. Everyone was tired, but happy, especially the ones who made the climb up the Wall. I'm so glad that we got to see thisMeer informatie
Stopping for Lunch

We're stopping at Nankou Dongda Bridge for lunch. It's not starting off very well though. As the bus pulled into the parking lot, Kathy saw a dead dog left laying on the ground and it reminded her ofMeer informatie
Let's Eat!

This restaurant seems like it's designed for tourists going to visit the Great Wall. Nearly everyone we see, except the workers, aren't local people and the parking lot is filled with buses. Still, itMeer informatie
Going Up!

As soon as we went in, this place impressed me. I'm hoping that the food is as good as the decor is. Right now, the main thing that I really want is water. With only being able to have bottled water,Meer informatie
Getting Seated

This place looks more like a catering hall than a traditional restaurant. I'm surprised that, with so many buses parked outside, it's not busier. I'm thinking that the other diners are maybe on one ofMeer informatie
Crowded

This place sure filled up in a hurry! The way large groups of people are coming in at once, it confirms my idea that this restaurant is designed for tourists visiting the Great Wall. The food isMeer informatie