On to the Finish Line – the Great Wall …

We are on the last lap! I hope everyone is finding creative ways to stay fit – and we finally have some nice weather, so we can head outside more often. Let’s go Globe Walkers!

Here are some interesting facts about the Great Wall of China to spur you on.

The Great Wall of China is the longest structure ever built by humans. It’s construction spanned 1800 years.
It attracts 50 million visitors every year, and had been visited by more than 460 heads of state and VIPs from around the world. In 1987, the Great Wall was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
It is not one long continuous wall, but made up of a number of different sections. New sections are still being discovered.
Contrary to common belief, the Great Wall of China cannot be seen from space.
The Great Wall of China has been called the longest cemetery on Earth. An estimated 400,000 workers perished during construction. Archaeologists have found human remains buried under parts of the wall.
Wall construction was a common punishment for criminals.
The Great Wall is wide enough in some places to drive a car over it.
The mortar used in some places of the Great Wall is made from glutinous rice (known colloquially as “sticky rice”) thanks to its cohesive properties.
A third of the walls have disappeared. During Mao’s Cultural Revolution in the 60’s/70’s the Wall was vandalized or destroyed and used for construction. There was no clear regulations on the conservation of the Wall until 2006.
The wall was not very good at keeping out invaders. Many enemies throughout history managed to cross the barrier.