Beijing: Day 4

This day was amazing. I could go into detail, but I just flew in from Beijing and I'm a little tired. Maybe I'll elaborate in a couple of days. But here's the two highlights you need to know:

Highlight 1:

I CLIMBED THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA.

Holy shit. Holy shit shit shit. Sooo amazing. So mind-boggling. It was cold and wet and rainy, but oh-so-amazing. My legs hurt from the crazy-steep ascent. But nonetheless I want to go back, really badly, and bring like, some food and a book and just sit up there, on top of the world surrounded by nothing except the occasional tourist, and read for four hours, maybe take a nap, eat some cookies, you know, just relax and soak in the atmosphere. If I hide from the occasional guards they post at some of the watchtowers, I could probably sleep up there.

Choice pics:















More on flickr.

Now, check this out:



That is a guy, harnessed to a zip line, suspended over the lake as he plummets from the base of the wall to the bottom of the mountain. You better believe I did that on my way down, and you better believe I took video of it too. I'll post it soon. Meanwhile, here's two of my tour-mates:





I spoke earlier of a steep ascent. Here's what I meant:



See the wall there and how it goes up and to the right at at 45 degree angle? Yeah. Not an illusion. We went straight up that.

You can see the steepness again, straight-on, here:



Ouch. My quads are killing me :-)


Highlight 2:

I ate fried scorpion! Not as exciting as the Great Wall, but still worth a mention. Check one off on the crazy-ass food category, I suppose.

Anyway, more on Beijing soon, including the last day, organized pictures, and videos.