Beijing 2024 - Great Wall (长城) Watch Station No 14

After lunch and a short cablecar ride later,  we get a clearer view of the Great Wall as we approach the Watch Station No 14, which was the main station all the tourist seems to head to. Above, the Great Wall, covered in thick mist. 

They were kind enough to give the two of us our own cable car, so we can look around in all directions to take photo. But really, I think we were all just focus on the Great Wall, looming mysteriously over the mountain edge, outlining the mountain itself.

Weather was looking slightly better, but still misty and drizzling a bit. Wasn't looking forward to slipping on the Great Wall!

Take a souvenir info photo of the Watch Station No 14. 

These days, being a UNESCO site is kinda like a dime a dozen, yet I am still fascinated by it. If a place is stated as a UNESCO site, I would usually want to go take a look. For surely there's a reason it was named so. And so far, I have not been disappointed. 

Was surprised to find this monument of Singapore right here at the entrance into the Watch Tower. Didn't know that Singapore plays such a big role to the Great Wall before. Having lived in Singapore, as well as born in Penang, I am always fascinated when I see the relationship between  my two small island with the great big country of China. Just recently on my trip back from Shanghai, I was flying back from Pudong Airport. While looking for my departure flight counter, I went to refer the notice board and on it was almost every great city in the world, and there among them, was my small little island of Penang listed there, a direct flight from Shanghai to Penang. What's also amazing is how full the flight was, even though I took a budget flight Juneyao for my recent trip. 

Anyway, back to the Great Wall, there were just so many people there. Not only that, most of the people were elderly Chinese! Some with difficult walking. Yet they were so determined to climb up and walk on the Great Wall. So apparently, Chairman Mao once said, that you are not a man unless you've climbed the Great Wall. Okayyyyyyyy.....

Here's a wefie of us, among the crowd, and the Great Wall behind, covered in mist. Ha! Well, at least I've made it here, and I've touched the stones of the Great Wall. The ground was super slippery as it's made of stones and it  had rained earlier. 

Gate way view of the Great Wall. It was also super steep! I had no desire to walk it. I might have, if it had been a nice clear and cooling day. But not on a a cool misty wet day like this. I have a phobia of slipping and falling. 

My husband, on the other hand, the one that didn't want to follow me to China, wanted to climb to the next tower. So since we were already here, and we had a lot of time, I told him to go ahead, I'll wait for him. He took about one hour or so to walk to the next tower and back while I sat and people watch. When he got back, I heard some horror stories about how steeped the steps were, and parts where you were practically climbing a ladder, lol. Glad I didn't follow him. I am shorter than him and have super small feet bad for gripping slippery stones. 

Selfie of me, happy to finally see the Great Wall! Bucket List checked!