The Great Wall at Badaling near Beijing. June, 1987.
This is my post for the Scenic Sunday meme, which shares beautiful scenes from around the world. To see more Scenic Sunday posts, or to join and show your own pictures, click HERE.
Among the high points in my life have been my times teaching in China. I taught in China on four different occasions. I was over there for the first time in 1987 and first climbed the Great Wall in June of that year.
The picture above was taken at Badaling, the pass nearest Beijing with a gate in the wall. You can see the gate in the center left of the picture (which can enlarged). I climbed up to the third watch tower on one side of the pass, which is where I took the picture. At that time there were many Chinese visiting the Wall, but very few foreigners.
Our guide said that anyone making it to that third tower would become a “Hero of the People’s Republic”. I was the only member of our group that became a “Hero” that day. My legs felt rubbery by the time I got back down, but the climb was definitely worth it.
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Today I’m grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to visit some of the far corners of our world.
Tags: China, Great Wall, Scenic Sunday
Senior Moments 
March 21, 2010 at 10:05 am |
Super capture George.
The climb, is it steps inside the tower?
March 21, 2010 at 11:28 am |
You reach a watchtower by climbing (hiking) along the top of the wall. Once you get to a tower there are steps inside to allow you to get to the top.
My Blog: https://seniorhiker.wordpress.com
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March 21, 2010 at 11:15 am |
Oh, what a lovely picture! Upon clicking, it is just so sharp and clear. And I love the colorful umbrella down below! Upon a first quick look, it almost looks like it was taken from a helicopter! You must be in excellent health! I guess it’s all the waterfall hiking!
March 21, 2010 at 11:42 am |
Good for you for making it to the tower!
March 21, 2010 at 2:41 pm |
What a wonderful feat and just seeing that wall is so exciting!!!
March 21, 2010 at 5:11 pm |
I bet you could have used a digital camera back then! Were there any restrictions on what you photographed?
March 21, 2010 at 7:02 pm |
George: How wonderful, my son’s band played there three years ago on their trip to China.
March 21, 2010 at 10:39 pm |
I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have made ‘hero’ status. 🙂
March 21, 2010 at 11:21 pm |
Hail the Hero!!! That is a remarkable picture. My Mother went to China with a College Group about 10 years ago. she saw the wall and many other sites. She was 84 and those college kids took great care of her. MB
March 22, 2010 at 11:02 am |
Teaching in China must have been really interesting. I hope you kept a diary or at least are writing down the memories while you still know them. I would love to see the Great Wall. Such a wonder and so old.
March 25, 2010 at 4:38 am |
Exquisite scenery of the great wall!