Badaling

Badaling, is about 80 km. from Beijing, and is the most visited stretch of the Great Wall.  You can see parts
of the wall for quite a few miles before you actually get to the tourist sections.  The wall wanders up and down and around the mountains and is much steeper than where we went last time.

At this section you don't need a cable car and it is much more developed for tourists.

I have my trusty cane with me as we head into the area where you can  finally get onto the wall itself.

We were there fairly early in the morning, but already it was getting busy.

The army boys were sight seeing too, and buying their tickets!  If they'd been born in a different
time period they may have been  posted here!

You could choose to go either left or right from this main resting area.  

As you can see the left side was already filled with people, so we chose to go right!

Chinese flag blowing in the breeze!

Blaine loading up on water for the climb ahead!

Stairs leading up to the wall itself.

OK!! Bring it on!!  Dallas was ready to climb!

Checking out one of the lower towers.  Our guide was a man we met on our last trip to Beijing.  He
is very knowledgeable, and speaks good English.  He picked us up at the airport, and drove us
all over the place for the days we were there.  

I didn't go very far on this wall because it was much steeper than it looks in pictures.

These narrow steep stairs were built here and there along the wall for the soldiers to get down
off the wall without having to go too far.

The trees were beginning to turn color.

No Blaine didn't give me a black eye, the wind blew hair over my eye!!   Ha likely story!!!

Just to prove we were really there!!  It was cool and very windy that day, but
the smog level was fairly low so the sky was actually kind of blue!

The guys started their hike up!

The wall was #1 on Dallas's list of things to see.  When you have limited time you never feel
like you can  take it all in like you want to.  He'll have to go back one day and 
climb to his hearts content!!!  He can climb the wall and l'll go and gaze at the warriors!!!!

Just a neat picture!!

Dallas was determined to get to one of the high towers.

This shouldn't be tooooooo bad!!!

Hmmmm ! Steeper than l thought!!   Almost to the top of the first hill!!

He's over the top and around a corner.  Blaine said enough at  the bottom of this hill!

The red spot on the  right is Dallas.  Almost to the top!!

Whew!!!!  He's made it to the door of the tower!!!!  He's the red dot  at the door!!!

These two pictures give you an idea of how steep it is.

I'm waiting for them way down at the bottom somewhere!

This picture is looking over to the left side that was full of people climbing.  We started where
all the buildings are.

The number of older Chinese people tackling the climb is amazing.  Then there are the tourists who
look like they will have a heart attack any second now!!

Blaine heading down!!!  Good thing they have railings because you really needed them in places.

The Chinese people always want to take pictures of themselves with foreigners.  I don't know who they think you are!  It's the weirdest thing.

Dallas taking a breather after his epic climb!

I don't think these brothers ever thought they'd one day walk on the  Great Wall of China  together.
They had a great time.  The sign is a famous saying by Mao  "There is no good man who
has not been up the great wall"

Heading back out.

Stopping for a break to catch our breath.   I never expected to see the wall in my life, but to get the chance
to go to it twice was a wonderful experience, even though l didn't do much of the climbing!!