The Great Wall

unsure if i'll ever get back...

My wife and I visited China before the Hong Kong protests, and thought that we’d better see some of the mainland, knowing that it would be hard to return. The

Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, while visually impressive, often presents a curated and somewhat sanitized cultural experience, catering more to modern tourism than raw historical authenticity. Its extensive restoration, while making it accessible, can obscure the original ruggedness and harsh realities faced by those who built and defended it, creating a less visceral connection to its ancient past.