After a four hour bus ride from Beijing and a half mile hike up from the parking lot we finally reach the Great Wall!
View of the countryside - Great Wall
We hiked from Jinshanling to Simatai-about eight miles. The wall as a whole covers over 4,000 miles - Great Wall
View from one of the watchtowers - Great Wall
Katy on the wall. Note the well preserved path here. Much of the hike was not so smooth. - Great Wall
Our hike took us along 7.5 miles of wall and through 28 watchtowers, which you can see stretching off into the distance. - Great Wall
The route was up an down, up and down... - Great Wall
A slow ascent up. Note the people in this photo to get a sense of scale--this thing is huge. - Great Wall
The ascent could sometimes be quite steep...
...and so could the descent. - Great Wall
Parker Construction returns to China! - Great Wall
Our route stretching out before us. The original wall was built between 220 and 200 bc. This section dates from the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) - Great Wall
Note the zig-zag to the horizon - Great Wall
The wall from a tower - - Great Wall
During the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644) there was a great effort to reinforce the wall. - Great Wall
Long but not isolated--a gas station and freeway seen from the wall -Great Wall
Commerce is everywhere. Jeff drinks a coke bought from the local farmer wearing a Mao hat (sitting in the background). - Great Wall
Katy, Wall and sky - Great Wall
Katy and Jeff (with French tourist in background) - Great Wall
Wow - Great Wall
View of the fields near the wall - Great Wall
Tourists on the wall - Great Wall
Tourist on the wall - Great Wall
A local on the wall. As in many places we visited, locals sell goods (postcards, water, soda) and offer their services as guides... whether you need one or not. - Great Wall
Nearing the end of our hike. The fourth tower (going left to right) is our last. (We passed through 28 in all.) - Great Wall
Katy nears the end of the hike, but the wall continues (note the ridge in the background) - Great Wall
Mom was with us on the wall. - Great Wall
Steep stairs down to a suspension bridge (not part of the wall) where the hike ends. - Great Wall
The obligatory suspension bridge shot - near the Simatai Great Wall
We find a map at the END of the hike... - Near the Simatai Great Wall
Vogue photo shoot with Ming Dynasty wall in background - near the Simatai Great Wall
Waiting for the bus to take us on a four-hour ride back to Beijing. In the meantime, a well earned rest. - near the Simatai Great Wall
