Blog from China - Wednesday
Today I visited the Great Wall. It stretches from east to west for 4,000 miles and even the most spectacular pictures do not do it justice. I was literally breathless, though that was also the result of navigating the steep steps. The wall snakes its way through the mountains like a dragon.
My guide was Joy Le Li. She is the fixer for the Beijing bureau, which means she pretty much does whatever is needed to make our shoots go well...from advance work to finding interviewees to explaining the nuances of China to a hapless Yankee.
As we were making our way along the Wall, I remarked at how exquisite it is. Joy said, "The Chinese love aesthetics. The emperors paid great attention to detail and beauty in building the Wall, but it never stopped any invaders."
An ineffective barrier, perhaps, or maybe the emperors were not using their heads. They should have forced their enemies to walk along it for an hour or two. Most of them would have dropped dead from sheer exhaustion! Still, it was worth the sore legs I'm sure to have in the morning. So if I seem a bit wobbly during my live shot with Matt, you'll know why.
Hey, at least I didn't fall down those miles of stairs. Given my klutzy history with the show, that's an accomplishment almost as grand as the Great Wall itself!
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meredith - the pictures of you on the wall are amazing! what an awesome experience to learn so much about the history of the country and what fabulous pictures to have as keepsakes! Enjoy your trip to china!
Meredith I was able to see your report this morning and it was very informative. I was touched when you were telling the story about the woman who offered you a bottle of water. Here they are struggling with so much and have so little, but are still willing to offer what little they have. Hearing the families tell of losing their only child was heart wrenching.
I am happy to see you did not bring your klutziness with you to China. For you not to fall while on the Great Wall is good.
Keep up the good work.
Walking along the Great Wall was one of the most surreal experiences for me. It was like "I've seen this in pictures, and now I'm here and I never thought I would be here."
I'm loving your China stories, Meredith. I love your blog!
Which section of the wall did you visit Badaling or Mutianyu?
I am loving your blogs from China.
Meredith you look awesome,I am a realist and an honest person and I can tell you there's almost nothing I like about china, specially since they have banned sharon stone because she made a free-speech comment, some races are never meant to go , or grow beyond a certain point or maybe its all appearance or appearances. anyway I wonder is there's more variety of chinese food over there than here in the U.S?, must be...
Hi Meredith....Are your kids out of school yet and do they have summer jobs to earn spending money?