My daughter (7) and me in China: part 3

The great wall.

Read part 1 here.
Read part 2 here

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Sunday and day 4 of our trip to China. We got up early, feeling quite refreshed and ready for new adventures. We had booked a trip to the Great Wall today, from our hostel,the Red Lantern House. We paid about 350 RMB for our own car and driver back and forth to the wall, and that also included lunch. We grabbed a quick breakfast before getting into the car. After a little snailing through the narrow streets in the hutong, we were out on the highway.

Alvilde, my daughter, ready to see the Great Wall.

We arrived at Mutianyu, and the driver followed us to what they called a cable car. Taking the cable car would give us more time at the wall, and I didn't want to exhaust Alvilde by hiking. We thought the cable car would be an actual carriage that we could sit in, with walls, floor, roof and some window to look out. But as we went around the corner to the cable car building, we saw that it was the kind of lift that we in Norway use as a ski lift. Before we had a chance to even think, they ushered us onto the lift. The lift didn't stop so we were pushed onto it. A half-scary, and fun experience. Thankfully Alvilde is not afraid of heights.

We got a full hour walking the wall.


Brushing her hair on the Great Wall. Kind of cool.


These canons are most likely placed there just for the tourists, and seemed a bit "off".

While we took the "ski-lift" up to the wall, we rode a small, wheeled sleigh from the wall and down. It was fun, but could have been a whooole lot more fun if the guys in front of us hadn't slowed us down.


A retired warrior met us at the end of the sledrun. 10 RMB for a picture, which he made sure to tell us after we tok the picture.

Time for the included lunch. Our driver had waited in his car for us, while we were on the wall. He greeted us when we returned and showed the way to a nearby restaurant where we were served food and drink.

Good times!

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After a nice meal, where Alvilde again appreciated the rice more than the food, we headed back to the hostel. We had to make a pit stop at a local, small gas station, where Alvilde got to try out the traditional floor toilet for the first time. It's not easy squatting over these for the first time.

Back in Beijing we took the subway to the more modern part of town, were you can find fancy malls and warehouses with prices almost matching Norwegian ones. Alvilde had a good time at the kids stores.

On one of the malls we found a restaurant with Mongolian inspired food. They had lamb dumplings on the menu. I make dumplings back home, so Alvilde is used to it, and loves it. Thankfully she loved the lamb dumplings.

Checking out the newly bought Barbie set while waiting for the food.

After spending some time at the mall, and with our bellies full of delicious food, we took the sub back to the hostel and went to sleep.


Nice lighting in Beijing.


Watching movie before bedtime.

Movie from our adventure day 4, with Norwegian subtitles.