The Great Wall of China

You might have heard of it. You might have seen the pictures. You might have been there yourself. But no matter how many times you've heard it described, no matter how many pictures have flown before your eyes, no matter how many steps you've taken up its steep sides, there is nothing that ever extinguishes that incredible rush of awe when you behold the Great Wall of China unwinding before you in all its glory (and there's nothing to be done about my poor poetic efforts when I'm writing on sleep deprivation).

Today's trek to the Jīnshānlǐng (金山岭) section of the Great Wall was... humbling, to say the least. My group consisted of a small contingent of people affiliated with the Yale-PKU program in one way or another, including all of our Yale professors (and some of their kids!) and my Chinese language teacher.
I admit, I wasn't originally planning on going as I had already been to the Great Wall twice and thought the wonder would have worn off. But my friend Liz used some pretty persuasive tactics, so I found myself making my third trek to the Wall. I don't regret it in the least.

When you see the Great Wall stretching from your feet to the very edge of the horizon, it's just completely mind-bending. People built this incredible structure centuries ago (around 1500 AD, so I've been told), and it just doesn't stop! I've been to three sections now, and all are terrifying in their height, steepness, and absolute defiance of peaks and dips that get in their way. Something about the Great Wall, I don't know what, is just magical. I understand why it's been such an enduring symbol of China to the world, and of the Chinese spirit to its people. If I have the chance to go back again, I won't hesitate to take it.

And for comparison, here are some previously 

unpublished shots of Badaling and Mutianyu: