Great Wall

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The best way to see the wall is to go further afield from Beijing than Badaling, about 120km to Jinshanling. From there you can walk for 10km along the wall all the way to Simatai. It is really beautiful, classic old wall and the surrounds are awesome. We passed thru many old watchtowers. The wall is in good shape at the jinshanling end and becomes more ruinous as you get near to Simatai, but this only adds an air of authenticity to it. On one side is mongolia (inner) and on the other china. Down below there's some farming going on and we did pass the odd farmer with hoe thrown over one shoulder. There are a few hawkers, not so many, selling beer, water, cola. Some of them would accompany you all the way just to sell a few postcards at the end. Would have been guilted into it at the end so had to explain that I wouldn't be buying anything right at the start. The walk is not tough, a bit of up and down but not too many steps. We were prob lucky as the weather was pretty good...hazy with a light breeze, nowhere as muggy as in Beijing.
At the end you can do a short pulley ride to the end...down over the river.

Fantastic trip!!!

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