One of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications made of stone, brick, tamped earth, and wood that winds for more than 5,500 miles across China from Dandong in the east to Lop Lake in the west. Complete with guard towers & walkways, the wall was opened in 206 B.C. as protection from raids and invasions from the various nomadic groups of the Eurasian Steppe.Today, the only invaders are tourists, and on a tour of China several years ago, my brother and I visited the Badaling section. Near Zhangjiakou, Badaling is the most famous stretch of the Wall. It was the first section to be opened to the public in the People's Republic of China, and serves as the showpiece stretch for foreign dignitaries. It is the most commonly visited and best maintained of the many sections of the wall, which are in various states of disrepair across the country. One thrilling, less-maintained section is the Simatai stretch, located northeast of Beijing, which boasts precipitous drops and glorious vistas, and is a good section to hike over a couple of days. My brother and I hiked the Simatai section and actually camped on the Wall. Not a very comfortable way to spend the night, but it was thrilling to experience sunrise atop one of the Seven Wonders of the World. In this photo, I wanted to give a perspective that invites the viewer to take a walk back in time on this magnificent wonder of the ancient world.

Great Wall of China.