Outside of Beijing
There are several methods for getting outside of the city to some of these sites. There is the very cheap bus system, but they are extremely slow and would burn up most of the day getting anywhere. There are cabs as well, which as we noted in an earlier post are very inexpensive. Thankfully for us, the conference Wendy was speaking at had rented us a private car to drive us to many of these sites, and that seemed to be a common theme we noticed of foreigners visiting in the city. We were greeted by our guide Peter, I'm sure that's from some old Chinese proverb, and were off. Peter was an unbelievably nice man who was a state sponsored tour guide, so the questions we asked were all answered in a true Communist manner. Even so, we were glad to have him there to help us navigate through these sites.
As we left the city we came to the Ming Tombs, a collection of thirteen royal tombs that house the remains of the emperors of the land between the 14th and 17th Centuries. The tombs are located about thirty miles outside of the city and are a sprawling example of the opulence these emperors lived with, and they expected the same in death. The tombs could easily take an entire day to visit, but we only had a few hours so we visited the Changling Tomb. The burial site of Emperor Yongle, considered to be the most successful of the Ming emperors, the center of the tomb houses a statue of the man that must be fifteen feet high. The tomb also houses a museum of treasures that were found from his empire. After you leave, walk over to the Spirit Tower for an elevated view of much of the area. There were very few people there so you feel like you have the place to yourself, but remember there will be "No Scribbling."
After you leave the tombs you may be given a special "opportunity" to tour one of China's jade factories. Jade is a semi-precious green stone that is found all throughout China and is used to make jewelry, ornaments, and statues of all different sizes. Our guide told us about this "special opportunity" as he was pulling us into the parking lot. Don't be offended, just go for the tour and see what they have to offer, there was no pressure to buy anything. The factory we visited had restrooms, drinks and food for sale, and let you watch as these sculptors worked with the stone. That being said, as cheap as everything else is in China, jade is not one of those things. They are proud of their work, very proud, and are hoping the few foreigners they allow into the nation will also be overwhelmed with it as well. They had items as small as a golf ball with ornate carvings, and full size carvings of tigers or dragons that acted as fountains. The amount of man hours that went into making these goods is astonishing, and sadly many of those statues may sit there for years. Don't be afraid to negotiate, again it is part of their culture, and please don't feel pressured to buy anything if you don't want it.
The main attraction is obviously the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall of China is a misnomer because the wall is not actually one wall, but a series of several walls spanning 5,500 miles that was built over a 1500 year time span. The most well-preserved part, and the one most people think of as the wall, is the Ming Dynasty wall built in the 14th and 15th Centuries. Used to keep out neighboring empires that might attack, such as the Mongols, earlier walls have been torn down, rebuilt, or reused over time. Much of the wall is in poor condition, but the part open to tourists has been kept up very well. Don't be shocked when you arrive at the wall to see it has been turned into a tourist destination. We were a little surprised to find there was a Starbucks and a Kentucky Fried Chicken built into the wall for visitors to eat at while there. Unlike the Ming Tombs, there are more people at the wall than you can imagine. The wall itself is massive and is 16 feet wide at the top to allow for many soldiers, or tourists, to walk. There are two directions you can take when you get to the top. One direction is not nearly as steep, and therefore is much more crowded, or the other direction which is visibly more steep, but greatly cuts down on the number of people you have to deal with. We chose the steep path, and this decision was one of the main reasons I committed myself to losing weight when we got back to America. This walk was grueling in certain parts, but gave us the opportunity to see some stunning sights. If you a brave keep going beyond the mile in either direction most tourists walk and try walking the whole thing. While most of the wall is unkept, these "wild walls" as they are referred to beyond the tourist site can give a hiker the experience of a lifetime.
While there is so much more to see in China, and we haven't even scratched the surface, if you have the chance to visit the Ming Tombs and the Great Wall of China it is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Take your time and enjoy a chance to walk in the footsteps of one of the Wonders of the World.
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