The Great Leap Forward

We have been making excellent progress recently, but seem to have spent much more time on the main road than I would have liked – at least the rubber shoes have made it more comfortable. However we were able to spend some time riding along the side of the Great Leap Forward Canal which presumably dates from the time of Mao’s Great Leap Forward in the 1950s. Hua hoped it would enable us to live up to its name, but we ran into obstacles too often and were forced back onto the road.

An unexpected treat was when we came across an ancient Tang dynasty Buddhist temple complex sited against a bluff above the canal at the end of a crumbling section of the Great Wall. The Shi Kong temples were absolutely stunning and virtually unvisited.

Hua is shown round ancient temple by equally ancient retainer.

Hua on Bajiu – yes the little crumbling remnant at the top of the bluff is the Great Wall!
Having problems accessing my blog at the moment, so posts may be erratic – I am now having to e-mail text home.