(Beijing part 1 is HERE)
We were so full of excitement on the morning we headed to the Great Wall. I can't explain it except to say that it was like there was electricity in the air and smiles all around. We bundled up knowing it would be cold, and headed out on the long drive from Beijing.
In all my planning (and everything we have done here takes a LOT of planning), I never thought to hope that the leaves would be beautiful. I kind of just pictured it cold and very contrasting to the last time we went eight years ago (probably the hottest day I've ever experienced).
But my personal excitement about the Great Wall grew even more when I realized we were going to be surrounded by Fall there.
Loved this road on the way through a town about half way there:
Stretching legs after the drive...I adore these boys:
...and girls:
We took the tram ride up.
And then BAM! There we were!
I will warn you right here and now...there are a lot of pictures in this post (again...sorry). But hey, we were on THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA!! That doesn't happen every day I tell you! And we now have four photographers in this family snapping away, so I'm just including an assortment of my favorites from everyone.
Can you see my kids down there?
Even Max got in the picture-taking frenzy. I'm telling you, we were so excited!
One of the many people who ask to take pictures with the kids:
We took the slide back down:
...and got stuck behind a long line of cautious folks.
But these girls thought it was the very best thing that had ever happened.
I guess we better make another trip to the Alpine Slide!
She is feisty and mean when she's in a bad mood, but we obviously cannot get enough of her when she's in a good one.
It was a morning none of us will ever forget.
