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Great Wall of China Travel Blogs

Background: For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing the rest of the world in the arts and sciences, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the country was beset by civil unrest, major famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established an autocratic socialist system that, while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping and other leaders focused on market-oriented economic development and by 2000 output had quadrupled. For much of the population, living standards have improved dramatically and the room for personal choice has expanded, yet political controls remain tight.

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By el salvaje
January 3rd 2009

Four Serene and Perfect Hours on the Great Wall (Simatai section)

Asia » China » Beijing » Great Wall of China

The Great Wall
Simatai Section

One 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 [View Full Entry]

By Nottanya
January 2nd 2009

New Year's Day on the Great Wall of China

Asia » China » Beijing » Great Wall of China

Yes, I was there...

I got up at 5 AM on New Year’s Day to go on a tour to see the Great Wall of China. I can’t say that I jumped out of bed ready to go, but I was excited. I decided to take the tour because I had been having trouble getting moving in the morning and I was afraid that I would miss my opportunity to see the wall if I tried to get out there on my own steam. When I booked the tour the agent said with a concerned, pitying look in her eye that, because I wanted to [View Full Entry]

By Adventures of a Travel Addict
December 30th 2008

Clearly a Natural Wonder

Asia » China » Beijing » Great Wall of China

bejing 035

Beijing is bitterly cold! It doesn't help that the rooms are also not heated well. Of course Beijingers are used to it while the spoiled westerners can barely get out of bed. Today David and I bundled up and headed to do a 10K hike up the Janshanling section of the Great Wall. Of course I have heard from others who have visited the wall how amazing it is, but I was really in for a surprise. The hike was harder than I imagined since this part of the wall is not as touristic (which is a lot better, but even [View Full Entry]

By Richard and Anna
December 15th 2008

The Great Wall and the National Stadium

Asia » China » Beijing » Great Wall of China

Me at the Great Wall

After persuading the people I am working with in Beijing that I didn't want to work the weekend, I got the 2 days off to do a bit more looking around. On Saturday I took a tour to the Great Wall, it was a tour and it had a guide, but other than telling us to hurry up because we were taking our time, the guide didn't do anymore than buy our tickets, so it was more of a slightly overpriced but convenient bus ride to the wall. Rather than going to the popular Badaling section which is only about an [View Full Entry]

By nickoandmel
November 21st 2008

I'm Engaged

Asia » China » Beijing » Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China
Engaged

I'm engaged, I never new Nicko was so romantic he has been waiting for some thime to do that and said he couldn't have done it anywhere else. I have wanted to see the Great Wall of China since i was a little girl and my Dad use to tell me stories of Gengas Karn (can't spell). I have to tell you it is wonderful the best wounder of the world i have seen so far. I had the best day ever I was so excited i could hardly could contain my excitemant but we where on a dodgy looking cable [View Full Entry]

By begwer2
November 18th 2008

Getting Ready for China

Asia » China » Beijing » Great Wall of China

Our Trip to China Marie-Jeanne and I are about to leave for China, mainly to visit our son James, his wife Maggie-Tai, and our grandchildren, Emi and Tuck, who are twins and are nearly five years old. James is vice-president for Asia for PopCap Games, and has opened an office in Shanghai where they are making video games for the Asian market and also selling PopCap games to Asia. We are curious how business is doing in this tough climate. We were last in China in 1990 when I was foreign editor of The New York Times, and was visiting [View Full Entry]

By mrandmrsbb
November 15th 2008

Great Wall? Ish...!

Asia » China » Beijing » Great Wall of China

Tiananmen Square at night
As viewed from a taxi on our way to the Beijing Opera!

Hello everyone following our travels! We are still in Beijing, but leaving in a couple of hours to go to Xi'an. So we thought now would be a good time to catch up on la blog before we have to run for the train! Since we last wrote we have been to the Great Wall of China! We went to a section at Ba Da Ling which is about one hour from Beijing, it cost us about 1.20 sterling to get the public bus. It was the first sunny day since we got here so we timed it well. The wall [View Full Entry]

By The great adventure of Rayburn and V
November 5th 2008

BEIJING - MING TOMBS AND MUTIANYU GREAT WALL

Asia » China » Beijing » Great Wall of China

View on Great Wall at Mutianyu

Km travelled 14620 05.11.08 Our room has no windows, it's hard to say if it's day or night, sunny or rainy. We wake up early. In the toilet I find the third Chinese girl in two days brushing her teeth while hundreds of litres of water run away unnoticed. Why do you have to ruin my day so early?! Give me a break! I know, I'm a pain. Everyone is. At 8.00 we're waiting in the hostel hall. Our guide Benny comes to pick us up; we all walk to the van, us, a French girl and her Polish friend, both [View Full Entry]

By Zjhane
November 1st 2008

Beautiful Beijing

Asia » China » Beijing » Great Wall of China

The Great Wall
Start of my Climb

Whazzup everyone! I believe that everyone should one day in their life vist a 7 Wonder,be it the old group or the new Seven Wonders of the world....I now open my peep window for you to share my memories of Beautiful Beijing. January 2007 saw me find my way to one of worlds greatest man made structures,which is none other than the Great Wall of China.. what amazed me the most is that it goes on for miles and miles over the rugged terrain and seems never to end...it is thought to be believed that the Great Wall can be seen [View Full Entry]

By traveler1215
November 1st 2008

The Great Wall and Ming Tombs

Asia » China » Beijing » Great Wall of China

Great Wall

Our second day in Beijing went much more smoothly than yesterday. We left early for the Great Wall and stopped at a jade factory along the way. Very beautiful pieces and got to see workers carving the jade. I came away with a small piece of white jade, which is the color of jade found near Beijing, in the shape of a cabbage. In Feng Shui, the cabbage represents prosperity since the Chinese word for cabbage sounds like the word for money. I figured I could use all the help I can get given the times the way they are. Ernest [View Full Entry]

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