Keeping the rabbits out

 First stop for the day was at a jade factory but we managed to escape without purchasing anything and at last were headed towards The Great Wall. The first sights took my breath away - but not as much as the first steps did!

We had two hours to explore which wasn't really long enough to look at more of the complex as well as walking up...and up...and up! The stairs were not compliant with the modern building code and some required a step up as high as my knee.

I made it up two sections and called mum and dad from there to express my triumph (and catch my breath and my nerve for the trip back down). I needed Matt's help for the last little bit as my legs turned to jelly. A Magnum helped my recovery but I wasn't expecting matcha tea flavour.

Lunch was shared at a nearby hotel - surprisingly it was very Cantonese in style but there were plenty of new dished to try. 

The afternoon's optional activty was a Hutong pedicab tour and a dinner with a local family. The Hutong area is the only remaining traditional part of Beijing and a popular place to visit with locals and tourists. Again, more time to explore would have been great as it was interesting architecturally. I had mixed feelings about the pedicab tour mostly around colonialism and exploited locals carting around fat westeners - but it was raining so I ignored my conscience.

The family dinner was great, homestyle food and plenty of it. Very little meat, almost a garnish rather than a feature. The family have lived in the home for four generations and said even through as a heritage area so they can't change the exterior they'd never leave as it's so convenient to good schools, universities, hospitals, and the city centre. Ba ba was a kung fu master and has worked internationally choreographing movie fights. He also played traditional music for us and showed his collection of traditional weapons. Many houses in the compound still don't have modern conveniences and there are shared facilities regularly located.