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Published: January 3rd 2009
The Great Wall
Simatai SectionOne of the sections of the wall opened for tourists is located two hours northeast of Beijing. The Simatai section is beautiful. The views seen cannot be described by words. I am hoping some of the pictures will show the beauty.
Felipe, Alex, and I left the hostel at about 6:30am. The hostel in Beijing set up the transportation, hike, and meals. Though the price quoted to us did not include the two entry fees, it was still worth the hike. Leaving the capital while still dark, I took short naps here and there whenever Alex decided not to wake me up.
Overall the ride took just over 2 hours, and our hike began at around quarter past nine. The guide provided for us only told us where to go, and left us be as we hiked the four hours in the path he told us to take ("two lefts"). Travelguides and most people we spoke to told us that this section was the least visited by tourist, has had little reconstruction done, and with no "Disney-like" shopping stores.
After the first entry gate, a group of about 15 people followed us for about the first hour attempting
to sell our group (six overall--us three, Grace from England, Podge from Ireland, and someone from Japan whose name I never got) all kinds of souvenirs.
The hike was tiring but exhilarating. The wall winds through the mountains, and one climbs with the peaks, and must come down on the other side. Parts of the wall haven't been reconstructed, so climbing sections of the wall and towers are a part of the experience. Whenever taking a rest or stopping to gasp for air, the beauty surrounding us was unreal. Perhaps the tiring hike makes you love it that much more. To me, the experience was marvelous and it is certainly one that I will never forget. The sky was clear. The air was freezing; however, the hike warms up the body. And every step you take, a new view of beauty awaits.
The hike leads towards a valley, where one must cross a bridge. Just before that, the guide awaited for us. He had not just traversed four hours of the Great Wall, so he was upbeat and rested. He would lead us the final thirty minutes, every once in while looking back at us and telling us
to hurry.
After crossing the bridge, the last section of the hike is the steepest. It doesn't help either that all the steps are different sizes, so no steady rhythm can be had while walking up.
Once the hike is done, a long (paved) road takes you down to a small tourist section. Here a taxi took us to eat our lunch. Though freezing inside the restaurant, the beer we had was just right. After a nap on the way back in the bus, we made plans to have dinner with Grace and Podge at the acclaimed Li Qun Restaurant, one of Beijing's most famous places to eat the celebrated Beijing (or Peking) Duck.
The meal was delicious. I could eat that duck almost at every meal. Great company and conversation highlighted the night, capped off with a few beers at a local bar near Beihai Park.
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