BEIJING - the great wall

I just got back from Beijing several hours ago and Andy asked me what my favorite site was on the trip. I am awestruck by my experience and at how amazing this trip was - because of the places we saw, the things we learned, the new cultural experiences we had, the people we met, the wonderful friends I spent time with, etc. However, my answer to Andy's question was The Great Wall. It seems very typical - everyone who goes to Beijing probably has the same favorite site - but if you have been there, you know why.
We (me, Andy, James, Nick, Willie, TJ) read about the 10km distance between Jinshanling and Simatai and decided we had to experience it. The lady at the hotel seemed hesitant to schedule this for us, not knowing exactly how to arrange the drivers to take us over 2 hours out of the city and wait for us to hike all day . . . But a few phone calls later and our explanations of why we were set on this trip, and she decided to come with us too! Her name is Sabrina, hopefully a friend we will now keep in touch with. She had never been to this part of the wall either.

We met a shepherd along the way . . . He wanted me to pay him 2 yuan for each picture I took, so we didn't stay long to chat with him.Some parts of the wall were restored and others were crumbling - very cool to see it in different conditions.