Simaitai

Around 13 of us went to Simitai Saturday, the 13th. Our Beanstalk school bus didn't drop off a mountainside or anything like that, but numerous gasps were to be heard as we narrowly missed one accident after another. It's stunning the way some drivers enter the road (slowly) without any regard for the presence and speed of other vehicles that are already occupying the same space. Yikes. Don't know how they do it.

It was another hot, steamy day, and it seemed to me that we climbed up and up and then up some more. First, though, we took a chair lift that Cathy said would never pass inspection in Canada...she didn't have to convince me. Next came a wild little train ride;the train resembled a crazy ride at Valley Fair. Then we started the climb up and up into the hot, hot sun. We were accompanied all the way by helpful little farm women who contributed tidbits of information and waited for just the right moment to open their bag of goodies to sell. My helper pointed to farmland in the distance and told me that was where she lived. I finally bought my I Climbed the Great Wall t-shirt. Paid a little extra for the services.

Alicia brought Bella, her little baby, who got packed all over the Great Wall; she even had her diaper changed there. She needs a little T-shirt that says, I My Diaper Changed on the Great WallI. She's amazing, Alicia, that is. Bella is too, actually.

When it was time to get down the mountain, we had two options: go back the way we came (No way!) or take the Zip Line. Most of us chose the Zip Line; it was actually short and sweet. The Zip Line is run mostly by gravity and a little by pulley when necessary. You climb into a harness and hope the thing doesn't break as you zip across the river below. See pictures.

We ate dinner back in Beijing at Mt. Hannashan, a Korean Bar-B-Q restaurant where they bring hot coals to your table and you grill your own meat. Yes, the food was delicious! And we had a great time.