The Great Wall and Western Imperial Fortress of Jia Guan

As promised, our day started with a picnic breakfast at the wall-the wall of the parking lot behind the hotel :-).  We drove the short distance to the historical site and donned our hiking boots-we did a LOT of walking today.

The western wall was built by the Ming Dynasty in the 14th century.   Because the wall here is very low, easily scaled by even a man standing on horseback, and ends abruptly at the top, it is theorized that this portion of the Great Wall was built more to display power and authority more than for protection. In any regard it was quite impressive and for all but one of us, the first exposure to the wall.

Below the wall was the Hobe Temple. We visited the sanctuaries and holy places. The statuary, wall murals, and sculptures were terrific. All over the grounds were hundreds of prayer flags. It was a very quiet and peaceful stop. It was good for the mind and the body to simply enjoy the stillness of this place.

Next we visited the City of Jia Guan and the Imperial Fortress.  Begun in the 10th Century it was uniquely preserved having survived countless assaults over the centuries. We wandered the ancient city and then it's museum before succumbing to the heat and calling it a day.





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