The Westernmost Section of the Great Wall of China

This morning, I devoted my time to planning the remainder of my journey. I now have a good idea of when I will arrive in Shanghai, provided everything goes according to plan.

In the afternoon, I went to visit the sights around the westernmost section of the Great Wall of China, which once marked the western frontier of the country.

The first stop was the westernmost fortress, which forms part of the defensive system of the Great Wall. Right at the entrance, I met Xin, who greeted me in English and offered to take some photos of me. We started chatting, and since he was also traveling alone, it seemed only natural to explore the site together. Inside the spacious fortress, there was even a live performance that demonstrated how certain ceremonies might have taken place in the past, such as the presentation of gifts. Since Xin had already visited the other two sites, I continued on my own afterward.

The second stop featured the very westernmost section of the Great Wall, which ends dramatically at the edge of a large gorge. There was also a scale model of the entire defensive complex, providing a clear overview of the whole system.

At the third stop, I could see how the Great Wall was constructed where it crossed a river, as well as how it hugged the mountainside so closely that it almost appeared to be hanging from it. This section of the wall was restored in 1987.

In the evening, I met up with Xin again so that neither of us had to eat dinner alone. We had many enjoyable and thought-provoking conversations, some of which pushed my Chinese skills close to their limits. We found that we shared many similar views on life's philosophy, and through our conversations I gained new insights into China and learned many new things. This encounter was just as warm and memorable as so many others on this journey, and it will remain one of my fondest memories.