Day 3 is a big walking day. Judy and I join the kids at their hotel for breakfast. Then we’re picked up and head out to the Great Wall. It’s a clear, blue-sky day. We ride a cable car to the top (Tower 14). From there, Jonathan walks with us to Tower 6, describing history and interesting footnotes as we walk. It’s mostly downhill, but one of the interesting design aspects is the steps and walkway are not consistent in their spacing or height. This was done to make it difficult for an army to move along the top. It also makes it difficult for tourists with sore knees to traverse it.
We finally get to Tower 6, and get a chance to ride a toboggan to the bottom. Judy is ready to get another ticket up, just to ride the toboggan, but maturity (and fatigue) wins out. At the bottom, there are a few aggressive vendors, and the family gets a chance to test their bargaining skills for some knick-knacks.
Lunch is at a beautiful little restaurant called “The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu”. Michelle Obama and her daughters ate here when they came to this section of the wall in April. The food is really good, and the dessert at the end was a welcome treat.
Our final tour stop is the Summer Palace. Jonathan took us thru a gate not used heavily by tourists. It required a longer walk, but most of it was through a beautiful garden and it was restful, in spite of the walk. The kids hike to the highest temple, but Judy and I opted not to join them. We made the trek to the top last fall, and didn’t “feel it.” (actually we were feeling it….in our legs)
The Summer Palace gardens.
The Summer Palace. It’s a pretty solid hike to the top.
When we get back to the van, the kids want to the get the full market shopping experience with some aggressive vendors at Yashow. It’s Friday afternoon, and the traffic is terrible, but we finally arrive. An hour later we walk out with a varied collection of Chinese memories. We won a few, and lost of few of the bargaining battles, but had a blast. We finish off the evening with a meal on the roof terrace at the Blue Frog. We taxi home and day 3 comes to a quick end on a pillow. Our legs have had it!