China June June 26
The Great Wall, Ming Tomb complex and Jade factory
6.26.12 - 6.26.12
85 °F
In spite of some rain, fog, smog and incredible traffic, we made our way about an our from our hotel to the Great Wall of China. There are several tourist entry points along the wall, and we went to the one that the Chinese government takes the Presidents to, starting the Nixon in 1972. In spite of the poor visibility, the Wall was magnificent. Built on high ground anyway, it's hard to imagine an invading intruder getting up the hills to the wall, let alone scaling the wall.
We then headed to a jade factory for a tour and then lunch - a standard Chinese Lazy Susan offering. It was fresh and tasty and we tried some of the Chinese Rice wine, which is about 100 proof!
These type of stops are usually a little touristy, but the shop at the particular facility was amazing - some really spectacular artistry
We then headed off the the Ming Tombs. There are 13 Ming Emperors buried there, one has been excavated by and archeology team, but there isn't much to see. What is worth seeing is the sacred road that leads to the tombs. It is a spot where you walk to become one with your ancestors if you were the Emperer.
We finished up the day with a traditional Chinese roasted duck dinner. It was pretty good, but I would have liked to have had more duck. This was followed by traditional Chinese opera, which was colorful but not really my cup of tea.
Some more sightseeing this morning and then a 90 minute flight to Xi'an this afternoon.
