The Easternmost part of The Great Wall

As internet access isn't too expensive in this little town, I've decided to pop down here again and fill you in on another little adventure Martin and I had yesterday!

We woke up quite early and got some more washing done... oh yes, hand-washing is becoming our new thing! My poor hands are a bit raw from the soap but at least it doesn't cost anything! Besides we only have 3 outfits each so we're not exactly overloaded with goods :)

After the washing, we decided to explore a bit more outside Dandong. It's quite a sleeply little city really, nothing much happens away from the Yalu river and all the N.Korea-spotting excitement!!

We took a 40min bus ride out of the city, and got off at the Tiger Mountain Great Wall. This is the most eastern (and northern I think but not sure) part of the Great Wall, so we were excited to see it. We're hoping to see all the wall extremities so to speak!

Although this part of the wall was a little disappointing in length (really short compared to the "Badaling" section we saw outside of Beijing), it was still really beautiful. We walked up the steep steps to the top section and sat up there eating our sandwiches and enjoying the views. From here you can see both North Korea and China... the Chinese side being very populated, full of houses and farmlands etc, and the N. Korean side being utterly boring. Nothing to see besides grasslands and the odd bit of tributary river.

Later we walked back down again, and after being accosted by a few taxi drivers, we managed to find the bus back to Dandong again.

Last night we went for a walk down to the Yalu River with Tom (a British guy staying in the same hotel as us), and we ate half a watermelon while watching a cool water display and fireworks. What we found so interesting is that at night, there are no lights on the N. Korean side of the river... it's almost as if you're looking out to sea! During the day it's not that interesting either, but at least you can see some people and some bushes! Strange.

After the walk along the rivers edge the boys wanted a beer, so we stopped at an outside entertainment area - patio chairs and tables in front of a stage area where random people come up and amuse the locals! We managed to make a very strange drunk new friend.... in a nutshell he was a total nutter!! Tight black leather pants, a black t-shirt with a scary face on it and the best part - the mullet to challenge all other mullets!!! He sat with us for over an hour, slurring his words and trying to make conversation. The funniest part were the wierd things he kept saying - like "China Dandong" and "English" mixed with other things in Chinese... not entirely sure what he was on about but he seemed genuinely excited about his new foreign friends!

We left as soon as we felt we could (after our new friend payed for the beers) and got home to some much needed sleep!!!