The Great Wall

Mu Tian Yu

Most people arriving in China now know that the Great Wall is actually divided into many disjointed sections. Some parts are repaired and made safe for tourists; others still lie crumbling under the effects of nature and weather.

Perhaps the most touristy parts are Badaling and MuTianYu. It was to latter that i made my way while free for some hours in Beijing on 30th May 2006. It was a lovely bright morning, but not too hot. MuTianYu is about 2 hrs from Beijing, the road passing through some small towns and one biggish city just before the final climb.

There is a Cable Car which one can avail of to get to the top, where the Wall is. Of course, it is a gentle climb for those of lesser years. Because my companion was not prepaired for the climb on foot, we both went up in style. I think it cost 50 Yuan. There is also an entry fee to the Wall area.

But once on the Wall itself, all these fees become insignificant. The MyTianYu section has been reconstructed with German help. It may not be 100% authentic, but it is certainly safe and built exactly as was the original. This section is about three kilometers long and one can spend some fruitful hours there. The views are also beautiful.

As one may expect, the place is crawling with vendors and hawkers, swearing that their price is a give-away.

There are photographs to show that Bill Clinton visited this part of the Wall.

I could not help reminding myself that this great wall which once kept people out of China, now draws them in by the million. A slab of stone in English, German, Chinese tells the visitor just as much.