The five minute boat ride in the reservoir was a nice way to end the day, offering nice views of the wall and surrounding mountains. We got off the boat, met up with those who walked and made our way to the van. On our way back, we saw a blind man playing the sanxian, a sort of Chinese banjo, which impressed us all. We tossed a couple of yuan in his hat for his efforts and went on our way.

Before getting to the van, about a dozen or so vendors made one last attempt to pry us away from our yuan. Some followed us to the van, sticking their heads inside the vehicle. A couple of us bought some apples and tomatoes for one or two yuan so we would have something to eat for the ride home. We were happy, sweaty and tired as we headed back to Beijing. On this day, the Great Wall was a great success.

(China.org.cn July 30, 2008)