Day 7

Today was our last day in Beijing, and was by far, the most tiring. We had breakfast at the usual time and it was no different from the previous days. At 8am we set off for the Great Wall of China. We learnt that the wall was first built during the Qin Dynasty to keep out the Mongolians. However during the Tang dynasty, there was no wall construction as they were very powerful and respected and during the Yuan dynasty the Mongols ruled China and felt no need to build fortifications. When the wall was still in use people used fire during the night and the burnt smoke of wolf dung during the day as signals to warn nearby watchtowers of enemies. The climb itself was both tiring and arduous, but the satisfaction we received when we reached the top was to die for. The view from the top made the whole climb worthwhile, despite physically destroying ourselves, and the blood, sweat and tears we all shared. In the words of Chairman Mao we could finally be seen as true men. After, we all ‘dabbed’ on the Great Wall, teachers included. After arriving back from the Great wall, the lunch we had was one that we all wish we could have again, mainly because the deep-fried chips reminded us of McDonalds. We also enjoyed the sweet and sour pork. The vegetables were nice too, according to those people who dared touch those tainted things. The rest of the day wasn’t nearly as exhausting, for we travelled to Beijing Olympic Park and saw the 2008 Olympic venues, including the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube. We spent 40 minutes taking in the sights and exploring the area; unfortunately we could not go inside as the tickets cost money. Overall it was an eventful day in Beijing and one we’re all sure to remember. -Felix and Andrew