1st Day - The Great Wall

After a fairly decent night's sleep, this morning we toured what is called a "Cloissone" factory, where they manufacture works of art from copper and colored enamel. Witnessing the process was amazing, from the beginnings of the basic materials to the final steps of polishing - a truly beautiful art. We then went to the Great Wall of China. The weather was absolutely beautiful, we couldn't have asked for anything better. We took a cable car up the side of the mountain to an entrance spot where they funnel the tourists. We then climbed some incredibly steep angles and stairs to the highest point. The view was one of the most spectacular things I've ever seen. It was amazing to see the majesty of the mountains peeking through the haze, and to look at the dragon-like wall snaking in both directions as far as the eye can see. Standing there upon this wondrous man-made structure gave me the sense of just how small we are. It's easy to feel insignificant on that wall... the history, the shear magnitude of it... it's quite humbling. We then went to lunch, where we were treated to some... eh, let's just say very interesting "meats". Laura and I weren't feeling that adventurous (shocker), so the rice and chicken did the job just fine. Back to the hotel for a quiet evening, one of the last ones we'll probably have for awhile.