Thank you, so I'm not the only one who read what I wrote. Why should I try to make jiejie angry or cover my advice as hers? I have no antipathy with her so its curious to assume that from me. But moondog and her start to blame me for words that I never wrote.

And I also wrote here and here that I can only recommend a one way trip with a taxi and I wouldnt do it if I hired a car for the day. We didn't know that he hired a car from the beginning, so my advice wasn't so wrong.

I don't think anyone had a problem with the advice per se, rather that it didn't tailor to the OP's requirements, and yet you insisted that was what the OP should really be doing.

At least, that is how I read the other comments. Do stick around and give more advice about life and travels in China. However, as with all internet fora, do realize that others may or may not agree or take that advice!

tb

He didnt wrote that he hired a car, so the only requirement was to save time at the wall to do something else same day. So I showed how he could save time when he just walk in one direction and not do it like jiejie advice walk from and to same point. Jiejie and also me didnt have the information, that he have a car at that time. And I wrote that it make no sense to only walk one direction if he have a car after I know about it. So?
The point is not that he didnt follow my advice, thats would be just normal. But jiejie and moondog wrote that I mixed her advice and hide my advice at theirs, which isnt true. Then they said I'm ridiculous, I'm backpedalling, I'm misunderstanding and they treat me as a liar for something I never wrote here just because they misunderstood something. I have no antipathy with them so I really dont know why they think in this way about me.

Admittedly, he didn't mention the car until post #102, but he certainly did throw the idea out there.

I don't think anyone here really loathes your idea; it's just that we've all seen enough threads on this topic to realize that 99% of the time, when someone requests advice on the GW, if they don't specifically state an interest in going from X to Y, they want to go to X and return to X. While I would have no problem waiting around for a taxi at Mutianyu, I also happen to be comfortable in China, and would not be under any major time constraints (i.e. afternoon at SP).

I'm being lazy (and also a bit tight on time), so I'm taking the cable car up, walking down to the alpine slide, and head down that way. Ignoring time to take in the sights and pictures on the wall itself, how much time would it take to cable car up, walk to the alpine slide, and head down?

Forget about the cable car...just have your body guards carry you up the
Great Wall, like Justin Bieber. I bet Dashan was at the top ready to offer some Chinese language lessons.

There is a ski lift that is right next to the alpine slide (you can buy a slightly discounted RT ticket if you know you'll be doing both). That way you can arrive at the top, wander for as much time as you have, and then head down again without any uncertainty... You do then need to backtrack a bit, but it worked well for me when I took my kids.

Am intrigued by the "toboggan , ski /Alpine slide".

Whta speed do you travel at ? What do you "sit " on?

How long does it take to walk down if you have taken the ski /cable car ?

Thanks.

Has anyone visited the Taizhou Great Wall?

When you hear about the Cable Car to the First landing be aware that there is a lot walking up steps and on broken cement squares and stones at about a 40 degree angled pathway BEFORE AND AFTER the Cable car ride (roundtrip 160RMB), which takes you only about a part of the way!

Not for Seniors or out of shape tourists.

You sit on a small sled like thing with a handbrake (you can find pictures people have posted on-line). I've only done this once, but we couldn't go nearly as fast as we would have liked (I was sharing a 2 person sled with my child; they also have 1 person sleds) because after a few minutes of going reasonably fast we caught up with "traffic" - a long line of sleds stuck behind someone going very slow and using their brake continuously. The entire trip down on the sled took about 5 minutes; at peak speed we were probably going as fast as someone running down the hill would have gone. It was definitely fun until we hit the traffic jam.

The have alpine slides in US too, or at least they existed when I was a kid; perhaps the insurance companies gave them a death knell for all I know. A friend of mine managed to fall off the one at Attitash (NH) once and he ended up loosing most of his clothes and a fair amount of skin in the process.

They're still around in the US (including the one at Attitash).

Going with seniors and we just want to say we've been there and catch a view or two - not really hike much due to mobility issues. Where's the best place to go? The touristy part is just fine.

Staying at Doubletree Beijing and could travel by train or hire a car or some combination of the two (some of us are not not comfortable with a bus). We could do an early trip and stop by something in the afternoon (Summer Palace?) if it fits but that is not a requirement (and we'd need the chance to bail if health issues dictate that).

Thanks.

You can see it much better in the many pictures EVERYWHERE!
It is much easier viewing then being there!

Remember there is a LOT of 'marketing' involved in tourism to create a
desire, that might not be easily enjoyed. I did enjoy the stop at the 'gov silk factory(?)'! The silk comforter purchased is so great, that it might make up for the challenging climb!


I half jokingly accuse my friends who insisted I go to the Great Wall of trying to bury me at the Great Wall! The Mutaniyu(sp) tour has the Cable car for part of the way verses the Bandaling section tour. But there is a lot of very steep pathway with continuous vendors who put their fans, trinkets, etc right out into the pathway area and steps to get up to the cable car, which makes it even more difficult, since there are NO handrails to keep you upright after the knees & legs give out! More then a problem for a Senior.
My right knee is still being nursed after a month.