TO A POINT: A firsthand glimpse of China broadened my viewpoint

I was awestruck standing there on the Great Wall of China two weeks ago. I thought of the millions of people who had walked there before me. The thousands of years this sight had amazed. The many who had died to erect such an imposing structure.
Even on that day, I was just one of hundreds and hundreds walking along its sturdy walls. This wall, upon which construction started before Christ, is still strong enough that we could walk upon it. Truly, it is remarkable. It is well deserving of the distinction of being one of the Seven Wonders of the (Medieval) World. I gazed out at the meandering lines, and marveled at the tenacity it took to build a wall on a mountain ridge. It's not just one gatehouse on the top of a peak or one section of wall, but hundreds of miles perched in a spot few could hike if they tried. Just walking along the wall itself was no easy task. Our section at Badaling just outside of Beijing was so steep at parts we traversed the wall via stairs that seemed to go straight up. Coming down could be more treacherous than going up, as it was easy to lose one's grip on the stones wind, rain and people have worn away.
The section of wall we saw that second-to-last day of August has not withstood thousands of years without some help. It is one of several sections that have painstakingly been restored. There is much in China (city walls, temples, tombs) that is the same. As the nation which was hidden from the eyes of the world for so long emerges into the limelight, it has revealed some of the historic jewels of the world. The government seems to recognize the treasures it has and has poured millions into renovations projects. The Olympics was a time to showcase the country to the entire world, and I think we can all agree China did a spectacular job.
Many of us have been suspicious of this communist-led country. My earliest memories of China center around the Tian'an Men Square Massacre in 1989. When I think of China, I conjure up the cruelty of the one-child-per-family rule, the lack of rights the people endure, and a massive population living in poverty.
Since spending 18 days there, I think of China differently.
The cities I visited (Nanjing, Shanghai and Beijing) were busy, thriving places. I saw more cranes than I ever have before. Industrialization has been rapid, and the country is facing pollution problems that accompany that, but the standard of living is increasing overall. I was amazed to see a cell phone in the hands of most people I passed. Folks did not seem weary and beaten down. Rather, it was the opposite. The entire country was excited in August. The Olympics were shown on every public television, and banners promoting "One world … One dream" were strung across canals and draped down the sides of skyscrapers. They must have made thousands of those banners.
My husband saw firsthand the industrial side of China. He was there on business, and observed the effort the Chinese citizens put into their jobs. They work hard and it's easy to see why so many companies have chosen to locate plants there. China has the manpower and the desire to grow. It is a time of great change. It's an exciting time to be in China.
Personally, I'm glad I got the opportunity to see it for myself.