Beijing - day two

First day of booked two day Beijing tour with guide Sunny, plus Paul from the UK along for the day. Tian'anmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu all on the agenda today. We’re amazed at how few people are about, except for the thousands we saw shuffling along the 2hr queue to walk past Mao’s body, or wax replica (two different versions of that story, given he died 1976 up to you which one to believe), the streets are pretty quiet. Also at what oddities we apparently are, the locals surreptitiously take photos of us, one blatantly sitting in on our lunch today to get her friends to take a shot - all with much giggling. A man shouted us an extra plate of food (delicious fried mushrooms grown in his home area) along

with a beer for the boys. One of the few English speakers we have come across, he was proud to tell us his story of working for BP in what sounded like every country thats ever produced oil.

BELOW: The artist we bought Chinese artworks from, me a scrolled painting of morning glory and both of us scrolls with our names in Chinese characters.

> Various shots of The Wall built over many centuries from as early as 7th century BC - yes BC !!
Up to tower 20, the furthest you can go and both Tim and Karen knocked the bastard off.

Today’s highlight definitely the Great Wall. Cable car up and down as 60+’s banned from using toboggan option (whewh!!) and despite the heat (daily guzzling around 5 bottles of water each plus cups of tea) we walked towers 14 to 20. Using the royal ‘we’ here as one of the party didn’t trust herself to make it back down the steep steps from the last almost vertical climb to tower 20. Mind you, one needed Paul’s shoulder to help her get down those steps, confirming the other one made the right decision. Amazing privilege to experience another of the 7 wonders of the world and for Karen and Tim to each be the only person on it when they knocked the bastard off at tower 20 = absolutely surreal. Mad dogs and Englishman in the midday sun came to mind as the temperature hit 35 degrees.

BELOW: More shots of The Wall built over many centuries, now of course with loads of gaps, but this area well restored and maintained. Spot Karen on her way up to tower 20.