gore

Incident on the Wall

Because it was our first day in China, the guide really laid down the rules to us as we bussed to the Great Wall. She was like an elementary teacher, whipping her class into shape the first week of school.

"Stay with the group! Be on time! Don't get lost" she scolded. "We are on a schedule, We can't wait for you. How will you tell the taxi driver to take you to the hotel? You don't speak the language, you can't write a note!"
Everything she said was true. We were chastened.

When we arrived at Badaling, it was necessary for the bus to go through a narrow tunnel cut through the wall to reach the parking lots. It was barely one lane wide! We disembarked and headed to the entrance to the Great Wall. We had to walk back through the same narrow tunnel and other busses, heading to the parking lot, cut our group into several "chunks".

The guide was annoyed. "See what I told you? You get separate, what will you do?" She paid our entrance fees and gave us a time that we had to be off the wall and back at the bus.

She had explained on the bus that at the top of the stairs, if we wanted a smooth and easy walk on the wall, we should turn to the right. Turning to the left, the wall was rougher and the climb steep, but we'd have a better view.

But when we reached the top of the stairs, we were not allowed to go to the right! Soldiers, shoulder to shoulder, blocked the way. Turning to the left we were confronted by throngs of tourists - mostly Chinese - gathered at this end of the wall, waiting, with cameras poised. Waiting for what?

We pushed our way through the crowd until we were above them. We looked back, down into the valley below. The guide was right, the view was spectacular.

And as we watched, a convoy of black limosines made its way to the entrance gate and discharged a hundred or so dark coated men. A few women in brightly colored coats were also in the group. And then we understood what was going on! We had read in the English language newspaper at breakfast that Vice President Al Gore was in Beijing. Today was his photo op on the wall! And the throngs at the entrance were there to catch his photo.

Well, we could see Al any old time, so we continued to climb the wall. On a flatter area, with fewer onlookers, Tippi did her Tai Chi for Larry's camera - our own photo op! We kept close watch on the time and started back with plenty of time to get back to the bus.

Gore was still on his half of the wall, and as we reached the entrance tower, the way was again blocked by the soldiers. We stood and waited, knowing this would last only as long as Gore remained on the wall. And knowing that over half our group was also trapped on the wall, we did not worry overmuch about the bus going without us.

Although we were on top of one of the towers, it appeared more like a courtyard with high walls obstructing our view. As more tourists came down from the upper wall, the courtyard began to fill up and became very crowded. We could not see the progress of Gore's entourage, and were not able to judge our own release.

Soon a group of Portugese tourists began to sing a simple folk song to pass the time. "Alli raina, alli raina". The guards smiled, and we all relaxed a little. When they finished, two Chinese girls sang a popular karaoke song and all the Chinese in the crowd laughed in recognition.

And I thought, here we are, strangers all, trapped on top of this wall that was built to keep strangers out, part of a communal experience communicated through that universal language, music.