Few visit Beijing without at least a quick run 80 km (50 miles) north of the city to Badaling, where a restored section of The Great Wall nearest the city is trod by millions. Invaders of old wouldn’t recognize today’s treed and landscaped route to the capital. From the 6th to the 16th C. there were several walls built and rebuilt to repel northern Mongol invaders.

A million soldiers reputedly stood guard along the 6,700 km (4,160 miles) wall during the Ming dynasty. With the advent of tourism, many more people than that now walk on the Wall just for pleasure. We chatted with a monk who wished us well on our journey.