The Great Wall of China. What more can I say? This Chinese icon has been written about for centuries. I could use this time to reiterate its history, but I’m going to pass. I assume that most of you have at least vague knowledge of its past, and those of you who don’t can just pretend for now. What I want to focus on today is the absurdness a typical traveler experiences when visiting the wall. To be specific, I’m referring to the Badaling portion, closest to Beijing and the easiest section to reach.
Absurd Item #1: Fasten Your Seat Belts
Upon reaching the entrance, the tour guide gave us two option – we could walk to the main entrance and walk up the entire wall (which would waste valuable time, in her opinion), or we could ride a roller coaster (for a small charge, of course) and be halfway up the wall in minutes. I’m a sucker for anything that doesn’t make sense, so rest assure that I didn’t take the respectable route and walk the whole way. While being strapped into my seat, I learned that the Chinese use the term roller coaster loosely, as this was more of a kiddy-train. But the good news is that my ticket was good for the ride up and down! As the roller coaster started, and I entered the cement tunnel illuminated with multicolor light bulbs, I knew I had made the right chose.
Absurd Item #2: To Sweat or Not to Sweat
I should of gone with not to sweat, but it was a muggy summer day, and I had to be back at my tour bus in less than 2 hours. There was no time to lollygag – I was on a mission to climb that wall. Long gazes and head nods soon became snickers, and eventually transformed into full on pointing and laughter. I would experience this phenomenon later in this trip while climbing Haungshan. Apparently a sweaty blonde girl is a hilarious sight in China. The day before, I had been treated like a movie star, posing for pictures and being graciously welcomed to their country. But add sweat into the mix, and I’m that endearing sitcom character who is the butt of all the jokes.
Absurd Item #3: Be Your Own Mongol Warrior
After riding the roller coaster back to the bottom – speeding and screeching brakes made this way more fun than the ride up – I was dropped of at a bizarro land carnival. While not all the stalls were open, I offered a real gun to shoot, a camel to pose on and have my picture take “in the desert,” and bears to feed. The gun completely creeped me out, the camel looked pissed, but I felt for the bears. They were basically living in a concrete hole in the ground, filled with a jungle gym-like structure to climb on. So I handed over a few yuan and got a couple plates of cucumbers to feed them. The bears knew the routine, and as soon as they saw the plates out, they climbed as close as possible to us, mouths wide open.
I really enjoyed my visit to the Great Wall, and feel it is representative of my whole trip through China. There were many cultural difference I didn’t understand, but I tried to make the best of everything with a smile. I quickly picked up on pushing my way through lines, and the art of haggling, though I never acquired that taste for stinky tofu.
11 comments
Donna Hull says:
August 4, 2010 at 1:53 pm (UTC -7)
A visit to the Great Wall looks nothing like the photos of the isolated wall curving it’s way through the mountains, does it? My experience at the wall was at another popular location, without the roller coaster ride. However, it was just as touristy as the one you described. The next time I visit China, I want to go to one of the less visited portions of the Great Wall.
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Ashley @ No Onions Extra Pickles says:
August 4, 2010 at 10:19 pm (UTC -7)
Shame you missed out on the roller coaster
I’ve heard that the Simatai and Jinshanling sections of the wall receive far fewer visitors and are much more peaceful. I really enjoyed my visit, but it just didn’t feel like I was at a historical landmark.
Amanda says:
August 5, 2010 at 6:43 pm (UTC -7)
Haha, I feel like most people end up with odd experiences to tell about when visiting the Great Wall. At least, I seem to read about plenty!
My own trip to the Great Wall will always stand out to me as one of the oddest, most surreal days of my life. I visited China with my college marching band, and we all lined up on the Great Wall in full uniform and played a concert. Yeah – ON the Great Wall. I crashed cymbals to Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” on the Great Wall of China… Doesn’t get much more random than that!
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Ashley @ No Onions Extra Pickles says:
August 6, 2010 at 6:06 am (UTC -7)
Wow.
I wish I had some sort of equally surreal story to share right now, but I don’t have anything that even comes close. “Since U Been Gone” really tops it off…haha. The Great Wall seems to be one of those places were people leave with bizarre experiences they were never expecting.
Thomas says:
August 5, 2010 at 7:02 pm (UTC -7)
I have always wanted to visit the Wall, but I have only ever managed to get as far east as Sri Lanka. I will have to watch out for any odd experiences when I finally do get to make it there! Great post Ashley!
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Ashley @ No Onions Extra Pickles says:
August 6, 2010 at 5:58 am (UTC -7)
Sri Lanka! I wish I made it there! I can guarantee China will fill you with multiple odd experiences…all which will make your trip even more memorable
Dina says:
August 6, 2010 at 5:14 am (UTC -7)
Haha, lovely experience! Looking forward to going there. It’s funny how the sweat changed how people regarded you
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Ashley @ No Onions Extra Pickles says:
August 6, 2010 at 6:10 am (UTC -7)
It was a complete 180 from when I looked fresh and clean…haha. Whenever you guys do make it over there, you’ll love it. Despite that it can be rather ridiculous, it is one of those places you have to visit.
Migrationology says:
August 6, 2010 at 5:17 am (UTC -7)
Great post about the Great Wall! I like the absurd item #2. I can picture a few of the same chuckling faces at myself, when I visited a few outdoor sites around SE Asia and was sweating profusely.
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Ashley @ No Onions Extra Pickles says:
August 6, 2010 at 6:13 am (UTC -7)
The tour groups were the best! It seemed that the safety in numbers feeling let them all laugh freely.
Suzy says:
August 8, 2010 at 5:38 pm (UTC -7)
How funny! Who knew you could have such an uncanny experience at such a historic site. The “roller coaster” looks like a Disney kiddie ride.