The Great Wall is absolutely stunning. It stretches far into the horizon, zigzagging from peak to peak. The structure is simple and elegant. It was designed to be impressive, making the inhabitants feel protected and potential intruders intimidated.

While the view of the surrounding mountains is picturesque, it also struck me as a little lonely at the top. Perhaps this is because we had just come from the crowds of Beijing and this section of wall was shockingly, and thankfully, empty of tourists. It was almost like we had our own private tour.

I was happy to ride the cable car from the base to the ridge because we hiked our tails off climbing up and down those stairs in the heat. I loved every bit of it. This was definitely the highlight of the trip for me so far.

I couldn’t help but wonder, what kind of wall Mr. Trump would have us build?  Would it be as majestic as this, or would it be as ugly as the motivation to build it?  Would future generations come to marvel at it centuries later, or would world leaders shame us into tearing it down?

When locals wanted to practice their English, or sell souvenirs, they sometimes opened with, “You have a happy family.” It’s a brilliant way to engage a mother, because you can’t help but smile in the affirmative. “Your sons are very handsome,” also worked well with me. I know it may have been a pick up line, but the more I heard it, the more it reinforced the desired response. Yes, thank you. I am very lucky to have such a happy family!