The Great Wall is really impressive.  The mountain range on which it was built is awesome –rugged and majestic.  God’s creation combined with an engineering marvel is an unforgettable experience.

The Chinese have a saying for everything under the sun.  One is that "he who climbs the Great Wall is a true man".  You can buy a HERO card on the top of the wall inscribed with your name.  Believe me, when you get to the top, you feel like a hero or a true "man".  But as hard as it is to climb up, it is equally challenging to climb down.  John described the condition of his legs — jello.  At a few spots I had to bump down on my bottom like a toddler because of the steepness and depth of each stair, and near the end I was hanging onto John’s arm because my legs were shaking so hard I could hardly stand.  But it was worth every step and bump.

What an incredible view!  Another Chinese saying is "one step, one view" meaning that every time you move to another spot, there’s another great scenic vista.  They use it for their "classical" gardens (one of which we spent a half day in — in Suzhou) but it is equally apropos here. Whether at the bottom looking up, or the top looking down, it is all marvelous.

The wall was built over a period of several dynasties, thousands of years ago.  Millions lived and died in these mountains working on the almost 4,000 mile wall.  We only saw a tiny portion but what we saw was amazing. Pictures will never do it justice but I hope you can get a sense of what it is like.  I was reminded of the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel when God said that together there might be nothing man couldn’t do.  He gave us amazing abilities to make incredible things.  But all of that pales to His creation.