37. Travel: Great Wall of China

We arrived at the Great Wall late in the afternoon.  We were not the only ones.  I was surrounded by German, Japanese, Australian, and Russian tourists—their voices rising in an uncomfortable cacophony distracting from the beauty of the setting.  A short Chinese man pushed past me, holding his cheap camera out too far in front of his face.  He walked back, jostling me without apologizing.  I could tell he had not bathed any time recently, and I was overcome with the irrational desire to hand him a fresh bar of soap.  If I’d had one in my purse, I might have. 

My father and step-mom were whispering to each other and laughing.  I desperately wanted to be included in the conversation.    

“What?  What’s so funny?”   

Nicole turned to face me.  “I just told your dad that the bugs are so big here, it’s like they’re on steroids.  He said they were the ‘Great Insects of the Great Wall.’  Isn’t that hilarious?” 

I couldn’t for the life of me remember why I had interrupted them. 

MOV

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this post represents a double challenge:  staying with my daily travel theme for the a to z challenge, as well as doing the weekend challenge with trifecta (using the three bold words included in order)