Wednesday, December 01, 2010 ~ Travel, Photographs and Lifestyle

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

The Great Wall of China in Mutianyu

The Great Wall of China is referred to in Mandarin as Wanli Changcheng

(10,000-Li Long Wall or simply very long wall)

BEIJING, CHINA- Since I was a child, I always wonder how it is to traverse The Great Wall of China. So many questions keep popping on my head, like would it collapse when I walked on the thousand years old flooring? Or would my stiletto heeled boots be caught in between the tiles that made up the Great wall? Would I be the Jill tumbling down the Great Wall? Ha ha ha!

My childhood dream became a reality when I joined a tour to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China last November 24, 2010, for 320 RMB including entrance fee, breakfast, lunch and transportation to and from Mutianyu.

Mutianyu is a very ideal location to appreciate the grandness of the Great Wall as well as to avoid the crowds of the portion of the Great Wall at Badaling.

Mutianyu is the most beautiful section of the Great Wall of China, filled with fragrant flowers in spring, abundantly verdant in summer, charming with red-leafed maple trees in autumn and enchanting covered in pure white snow in winter.

Cable cars are available to help visitors go up The Great Wall of China in Mutianyu easily. The cost is 45 RMB. It is better to get the package of Cable going up plus Toboggan going down for only 65 RMB. This is not included in the tour package. You have to shell out another 65 RMB on top of the 320 RMB tour package. You could opt to have the cable car alone going up The Great Wall of China in Mutianyu for 45 RMB per person.

I was so afraid I did not enjoy the breathtaking views of the surrounding valley when I rode the open cable car at The Great Wall of China in Mutianyu. Who would not be terrified riding an open cable car? The attendant shoved me to the passing cable car seat because I froze when I saw that the open cable car has no safety belt.

At the Great Wall of China, there are many uneven surfaces, many steep stairs to climb and a lot of walking to do, add to that, the unmerciful Siberian wind blowing so strongly. I was catching my breath after only a few minutes of walking at The Great Wall of China in Mutianyu. But the view from the Great wall is simply amazing.

I learned that the Mutianyu (Chinese: 慕田峪; pinyin: Mùtiányù) is a section of the Great Wall of China located in Huairou County 70km northeast of Beijing. The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is connected with Jiankou in the west and Lianhuachi in the east. As one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall, the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall used to serve as the northern barrier defending the capital and the imperial tombs.

Built mainly with granite, the wall is 7-8 meters high and the top is 4-5 meters wide. Compared with other sections of Great Wall, Mutianyu Great Wall possesses unique characteristics in its construction.

Mutianyu watchtowers are densely placed along this section of the Great Wall - 22 watchtowers on this 2,250-meter-long stretch. Both the outer and inner parapets are crenelated with merlons, so that shots could be fired at the enemy on both sides - a feature very rare on other parts of the Great Wall.

The Mutianyu Pass consists of 3 watchtowers, one big in the center and two smaller on both sides. Standing on the same terrace, the three watchtowers are interconnected to each other inside and compose a rarely seen structure among all sections of Great Wall.

The view from one of the window of the tower is simply amazing.

Besides, this section of Great Wall is surrounded by woodland and streams. The forest-coverage rate is over 90 percent. The view is breathtaking and certainly an experience to remember.

Going down, I took advantage of Mutianyu's wheeled toboggan ride down from The Great Wall of China in Mutianyu on a winding metal track.

Toboggan (luge) is definitely the way to go down from The Great Wall of Mutianyu. It's a great way to end a great day and this is suitable for everyone.

You'll be at the bottom before you know it. Definitely the fastest way down. I really really enjoyed this Toboggan ride down from The Great Wall of China in Mutianyu.

Please avail of the package ride of cable car going up and toboggan down for only 65 RMB or your toboggan ride down alone will cost you 50 RMB per person.