The symbol of China more than any other is the Great Wall. It winds its way along the tops of mountains. It has a fascinating history, if only because it has so much history. A History of the Great Wall of China Ebook by Luo Zhewen gives a better idea than any attempt I might make to paraphrase it. It was provided by WildGreatWall.com, the outfit through which I arranged our hike from Jiankou, where the wall has not been restored, to Mutianyu, where it has been. If you like to hike I strongly recommend that hike, although the hike up to the wall is a bit challenging. I’ve used WildGreatWall.com three times and they have all been good experiences. Here are some pictures from the hike we took earlier this month:

Zhengbeilou tower

Deciduous azalea blooming near the trail up to the wall.

The road not taken, looking west-ish from zhengbeilou tower.

Watch your step.

Path is narrow in places.

Broken area gives a chance to see construction details.

Spring blossoms and the “oxhorn”.

This section is in good shape for being un-restored.

The resoted section has lots, and lots, and lots of steps.

Still quite a ways to go.

Looking back at where we came from.

Myth busting: The great wall is not visible from space. It is too narrow to be seen from even a low earth orbit. Here is a view from a plane: