The Great Wall in China stretches some 3000 miles west of Beijing. It was originally intended to keep the Mongol hordes out of the country, but the strategy didn't work. A sentry on the Great Wall was bribed the Mongol "hordes" streamed over the wall and eventually took over the country.
I spent a day hiking an 11km. section of the wall on my recent trip to China. There are LOTS of steps, both going up and down since the wall hugs the crests of hills and ridge lines. Local villagers tagged along in hopes of selling us postcards, T-shirts, or books (mostly in Chinese!) as souvenirs. |