If you had only one day in Beijing, where would you go? For me, the answer was simple: The Great Wall! I learned about it, read about it, and it’s such a staple in my understanding of the Chinese culture, but visiting the Great Wall was always somewhat of a far reach for me.
And then the opportunity presented itself.
I had one empty day during my business trip in Beijing – which meant I had the full day to do a meaningful touristy activity.
Like always – unprepared and extremely underdressed – I hasty read a few posts on how to visit the Great Wall, booked an online ticket to enter the wall, and asked the hotel front desk to arrange a taxi for my trip to Matianyu. There are multiple entry points into the Great Wall, but I figured Matianyu was the less crowded one.
The Great Wall at Mutianyu, Beijing, China
Date: December 9, 2018
The trip to Matianyu from central Beijing was LONG. With no traffic, it took us 2 hours from hotel to the gate. Once you head in, there’s a sense of overwhelming ‘oh crap, what did I sign up for’ feeling. It takes a while to sink in: the wall isn’t anywhere near you. It’s far off, barely visible, lacing the top of an impossible-looking mountain (the Wall sits atop that mountain like a crown).
With a lot of confusion, google translate, some stick figure drawings, and frantic pointing at a map, I found out there were shuttle buses that take people up mid-way to the entry. Feeling that it was a great opportunity to snap some pictures on the hike up, I gingerly started to climb the stairs, while most of the tourists were opting to take the cable car. Welp, if I had to do it again, I’d probably recommend the cable car, especially if you’re lightly dressed in SoCal-winter attire in frigid Beijing weather haha.
Once you get to the wall, the majestic view that sprawls endlessly in front of your eyes is a sight to behold. I had to stop for a long period of time to take it all in. The mountains that are layered on top of each other are truly breathtaking. I’ve never really felt envious of other cultures, but this visit wowed me and made me slightly jealous of the greatness the Wall embodies.
All in all, you can click on the images to see better details of the Great Wall. I really wish I could visit the wall with the birds in real life. It’s definitely an experience I would recommend if you’re in Beijing.
x Birdmom
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