April 8 - Great Wall of China, Beijing, China

Great Wall, here I come


We weren't expected at the Great Wall until after it got dark, so we headed to dinner at the Commune by the Great Wall. The scenery really reminded me of the San Bernardino, California landscape


And as I was admiring the scenery, what pops into view, but the great wall. There are many sections of the great walls; interior ring sections and outer ring sections. We are going to an outer ring section, Badaling, after dinner. However, I caught these pictures of a couple of the sections as we drove by.









On our way to Commune by the Great Wall we passed a rock monument and street decorations and cherry blossoms were everywhere. 

 


Dinner was served family style and in typical Chinese presentation
 

  

Then it was onto the Lit-Up Great Wall. I have to mention that typically they light up the Simatai part of the great wall, at night, for visitors. However, we were given special access to the Badaling portion, which they lit up especially for us. Our tour guide said in the 20 years he had been giving tours of the wall, this is only the 3rd time he saw it lit up and the first time this section was lit up. 

When we arrived we were greeted with entertainment.





Finally the wall. As I mentioned we went to the  Badaling portion of the wall which was built in 1504 during the Ming Dynasty.











And there were also interesting displays and light show. I wish I could have stayed longer 







No cool structures are posted, because no structure is cooler than the Great Wall!

Sorry Art, I looked high and low for a loose stone, but none were found. And besides the 'government' was constantly surveilling us. 
Being blonde is not an attribute in this country.













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