China #8 Section 2 – Walk on the Wall (11/09/15 Part b)

This Walk on the Wall is About Helping Others to Help Themselves

On and on and on went the wall. On and on we plodded. But all in a very good cause. At some of our rest stops we reminded ourselves just why we were doing this; why we were putting up with aching legs and other muscles that were finding us out. We were doing it to help others who are doing it tough in other ways in their daily lives… every day… and without the views.

DSC00425 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00425 © DY of jtdytravels

And as I stood in this crumbling ruin, I remembered so many others who did it tough…

the men who built the wall in the first place all those centuries ago;

the soldiers who lived in these towers to guard their country from invaders.

I was here in this magnificent landscape for but a brief time.

No wonder I could smile.

DSC00430 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00430 © DY of jtdytravels

And it was not only the construction of the wall that I found amazing.

 So too, were the many small things I found.

Just look at the incredible construction of this caterpillar

DSC00432 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00432 © DY of jtdytravels

…and the way this flower is formed… delicate but intricate.

DSC00435 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00435 © DY of jtdytravels

…and another quite stunning caterpillar… just don’t touch!

DSC00437 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00437 © DY of jtdytravel

…and here’s a piece of architectural and engineering ingenuity displayed in a caterpillar!

Tiny but quite wonderful.

DSC00436 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00436 © DY of jtdytravels

When you think about how pines conserve water with those needle like leaves

and hold their seeds in cones until just the right moment

Nature is very inventive, isn’t it?

DSC00438 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00438 © DY of jtdytravels

I think these are Sedum sp.

DSC00439 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00439 © DY of jtdytravels

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DSC00440 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00440 © DY of jtdytravels

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DSC00442 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00442 © DY of jtdytravels

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DSC00446 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00446 © DY of jtdytravels

Looking up and out again… the Wall does seem endless.

DSC00450 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00450 © DY of jtdytravels

Just the floor of a second story watch-tower, the rest had disappeared over the Centuries.

But, it still provided an elevated platform for a better view.

DSC00451 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00451 © DY of jtdytravels

Great care was needed on some parts of the path… like this piece…

a steep drop off awaited anyone who slipped.

DSC00453 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00453 © DY of jtdytravels

The distance between towers was not far on this stretch of the wall.

DSC00454 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00454 © DY of jtdytravels

Iris sp.

DSC00455 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00455 © DY of jtdytravels

A view to the side. No Wall in sight.

DSC00456 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00456 © DY of jtdytravels

The distance between towers might be shorter but the steps seem to get steeper.

And those steps are not restored. Difficult going here.

DSC00460 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00460 © DY of jtdytravels

At times the wall branches. Which way to our bed for the night?

We’re getting weary. It’s been a long, hard day.

I’m so pleased that I put in the months of training to be fit for the task!

DSC00461 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00461 © DY of jtdytravels

More steep steps. But we were almost there… or so we were told.

DSC00463 © DY of jtdytravels

DSC00463 © DY of jtdytravels

And at last, our end point for the day…with a rather magnificent statue to greet us.

End of day two of the walk… only three days to go!

Does anyone want my spare lactic acid?

David

All Photography Copyright ©  David Young of jtdytravels

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