FAR OUTSIDE BEIJING WE TRUDGE ALONG IN BIG TRAFFIC. IT TAKES AN HOUR TO GO A FEW MILES BECAUSE A SEMI TRUCK IS STUCK IN SNOW AND BLOCKING HALF THE NARROW HIGHWAY THAT CONNECTS A STRING OF SMALL TOWNS. OUR DRIVER WORRIEDLY GLANCES BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE ROAD AHEAD AND TOM AND I.
OUR ONLY WAY TO COMMUNICATE IS TO USE WECHAT MESSENGER AND TRANSLATE TEXTS BACK AND FORTH. HE SUGGESTS WE TURN AROUND AND CALL IT. AT THIS POINT WE’RE PUSHING 4 HOURS JUST TO GET OUT THERE AND HE’S WORRIED BY THE TIME WE GET TO THE GREAT WALL AND HIKE HE’LL HAVE TO MAKE THE RETURN JOURNEY IN DARKNESS.
FAIR ENOUGH.
TOM AND I EXCHANGE WORDS. I’M SYMPATHETIC TO OUR DRIVER BUT ALSO RELUCTANT TO ACCEPT DEFEAT. TOM SAYS MATTER OF FACTLY, “LETS WAIT IT OUT. WE’RE ALREADY HERE WE CAN’T JUST TURN AROUND”.
ALSO FAIR.
I REALIZE THAT IF I WAS BACK IN NEW YORK AND SOMEONE TOLD ME THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEEING OR NOT SEEING THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA WAS 30 MINUTES OF PATIENCE I’D BALK AND TRUST I COULD HAVE HELD OUT.
30 MINUTES LATER WE’RE THROUGH THE BOTTLENECK AND TURNING OFF THE SNOW PACKED ROAD. A WINDING DRIVEWAY LEADS INTO THE LOW MOUNTAINS WHERE THE GREAT WALL LOOMS.
WE APPROACH A LONE SECURITY GUARD WHO EXPLAINS TO OUR DRIVER IN ANGRY CHINESE THAT HE NEEDS TO USE AN AWKWARDLY DISTANT AND EMPY PARKING LOT INSTEAD OF DROPPING US AT THE “ENTRANCE”. OUR DRIVER OBLIGES THE POWER HUNGRY SECURITY GUY AND SETTLES THE VAN INTO A SNOW COVERED SPOT. THE DOORS SLIDE OPEN AND OUR DRIVER INSTRUCTS US TO WAIT. HE RUNS OFF AND RETURNS WITH A SMALL SNOW SHOVEL.
THEN HE SHOVELS A PATH FROM THE VAN TO THE NEAREST PLOWED AREA, MEANING OUR FOOLISH DECISION FOR SNEAKERS WASN’T SO FOOLISH! THE JOY OF UNEXPECTED AND COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY FIRST CLASS SERVICE.
TOM AND I MAKE OUR WAY TOWARD THE ENTRANCE, PASSING A COLLECTION OF MINI SHOPS MIMICKING A TRADITIONAL MARKET STREET. NARROW AND CROWDED. EVERYTHING IS CLOSED BUT ONE. A TIRED MIDDLE AGED MAN SHOVELS SNOW IN FRONT AND WAVES TO US.
BUYING ENTRANCE TICKETS FEELS UNNECESSARY AND STRANGE. THE INFRASTRUCTURE LEADING TO THIS SECTION OF THE GREAT WALL IS ACTUALLY QUITE GRAND, LIKE DISNEYLAND…BUT EMPTY AND SNOW COVERED. WE ASCEND A PATHWAY AND WHAT MUST BE A 100 STEPS AND BEHOLD, WE’RE ON THE WALL.
THE WALL SNAKES THROUGH THE HILLS FOR AS FAR AS WE CAN SEE IN EITHER DIRECTION AND REMAINS AS AWE INSPIRING AS I IMAGINE IT WAS THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO. BEFORE TECHNOLOGY GROUND DOWN OUR THRESHOLD FOR WONDER IT WAS SIGHTS LIKE THIS THAT MADE EVIDENT THE CAPABILITY OF OUR SPECIES.