was it worth it? memorable?
Maybe I was just in a mood, but I wasn't that "wow'ed". I mean, it was pretty cool but it was just alright to me. What made the trip memorable was the spicy street food, the pandas, and how lots of chinese people wanted to take a pic with me bc I'm black(well, I'm half white/half black).
Lots of them thought I played in the NBA. They would stop me at the mall to try and take pics. When we were in Shanghai, they got us out of the line to get into a club and gave us VIP access. Now, my wife who is wasian(half white/half Asian(Chinese)) explained to me that black people are kinda rare in China, so most of what they believe of black people is what they see on TV. So if they see a tall black person, they assume he's a rich NBA player. It was honestly the weirdest feeling. I got similar treatment in Taiwan and Korea, but it wasn't as crazy as it was in China.
Anyway, going back to the Great Wall conversation, I think maybe I was just having a miserable day bc it was hot and crowded and I really wasn't that impressed. Maybe when I go back on a less crowded and less humid day, I'll love it.