The Great Wall of China

One of the highlights of my travel career was when I was at the Great Wall of China. This place has always seemed so far away and so unreal and I have been fascinated about this wall since I saw the Disney film ´Mulan´ when I was young. So when I actually got to walk on the wall, I would definitely say that it was a dream come true.

I don´t speak Chinese and the majority of the people in China don´t speak English, so when we got on a local bus on the way to Badaling, we did not know for sure that we were on our way to the Great Wall of China. We were the only tourists on that bus and I suppose everyone knew where we were going. Because the bus did indeed take us to the wall.

Beijing is a great place to stay if you want to visit the wall. The closest part of the wall is in Badaling, so naturally this is one of the most touristy places as well. Many people would probably say that they would be bothered by all the tourists, forgetting that they are one of the tourists as well. China in general is a crowded country and the Great Wall of China is one of the most popular tourist attractions there. The funny thing is that I didn´t really see many Europeans or Americans – only Chinese tourists.

The wall is 21,198.18 km and is in northern China. The history of the wall is over 2300 years old, and I bet you can find all kinds of hidden stories around the wall. It really is breath-taking and you feel so small thinking of everyone who sacrificed their lives on the wall. History is so important and I think that is part why the great wall is so popular amongst tourists. It´s more than just a wall – it´s a piece of Chinese history.

I would love to go back, but to see a different view of the wall, perhaps someplace more secluded. I would love to be on the wall at sunrise and just walk and walk and take in the beautiful nature around. Perhaps someday, but for now I´m very happy that I´ve been so lucky to actually have set foot on one of the seven wonders of the world.