When in China, one hardly can not go see a section of the Great Wall. We went a step further and did a 6 hour hike from the unrestored section of Jiankou to the fully restored and stuffed with Chinese and non-Chinese tourists section of Mutianyu. It was hot, steep and wildly gorgeous.
We left very early, and only got to lunch around 3pm because you can only enter and leave the Great Wall at certain gates, so there’s no easy way to take a break and continuing hiking later. It was absolutely worth it, and fortunately I had brought a snack papaya. My wife caught me in the act:
When we finally left the Mutianyu section and took the toboggan slide (yes, it was as awesome as it sounds!) down into the village of Mutianyu at the foot of the Wall, we were starving and ready for a huge lunch. We ate at a simple restaurant and were served wonderful dishes.
This was mapo doufu, with plenty of Sichuan peppers, and one of the most familiar dishes from restaurants back home we had while in China.
This was an absolutely gorgeous dish of chicken with chestnuts and green bell peppers in a light brown sauce – a tad spicy, perfectly complementing the creamy, sweet chestnuts. To die for!
And the crown jewel of the meal, a soup that still makes me weep with longing: ye shan jun, sour mushroom soup. There were 6 different kinds of gorgeous mushrooms in there, and the soup had a very healthy kick of rice vinegar. It was wonderful, despite the heat. I finished it to the last spoonful.
Have you had an idyllic meal somewhere that you still dream of having again? What sight would you love to visit once in your life?
My hubby who have been to the Great wall mentioned to me on how tiring it can be, esp when you are not at a younger age but like you, he found that its worth the while. That tofu looks very delicious and thanks for pics. I am going to make something similar at home because when I see chillies, I can’t hold myself.
I am sure his trip was just as wonderful as ours!
My pleasure! I’m the same way, and Sichuan peppers are just my favorite peppers, anyways.
Oh you are torturing me with those picture. I want that tofu dish so bad
It was delicious
Sorry!
I’ve had several friends who’ve hiked sections of the Great Wall and all have returned from their trip totally enchanted. Your photos give us an inkling of the great beauty of the land… and your lunch does make one’s mouth salivate too!
It’s a gorgeous place, though I found the unrestored sections much more … I don’t know, almost wildly beautiful a place. It’s totally worth the trip!
Thank you so much, I know I have a lot to learn about photography still.
I am in awe of your pictures Kiri!! The Great Wall is amazing. I have been looking into making a mapo tofu dish… now you’ve inspired me more. All three dishes look amazing. Looks like a great meal after all that hiking.
Thank you so much Ramona! I have so much to learn about photography, I wish my pictures could measure up to other food blogs!
It was amazingly tasty, go for it!
That is one of the places that I must visit..Beautiful photos, and that chicken with chestnuts and green bell peppers…Yum!!!!
It’s really worth the trip!
The chestnuts were so perfectly tender and sweet, mmmm!
My husband wishes to see Great wall of china. Some of his clients went last year and they were really impressed with this masterpiece created by chinese. I am not too much a fan of tofu, but I do cook with all these spices especially ginger so that the typical taste of tofu goes away.
It is a very impressive place and realy worth a trip.
I like tofu, but it does need to be prepared right to really shine.
The Great Wall is high on my list of must visit destinations, and with the meal you had along with it, I think it just move up higher. That first photo of the wall is just beautiful. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
Love these photos Kiri! Other than Germany, I have been to very few places outside of the U.S. (heck, very few IN the U.S.) so I love living vicariously through those of you who have been to the places I would love to see.
The food looked absolutely amazing also!
Thank you!
I feel kind of bad how few places I have explored in the U.S. while living here, so I need to work on that.
I was, too!
What an incredible trip! This food looks soooo good!
It really was
We had such an amazing time!
You must be a really good hiker! Thanks to your pics China is going on my list of trips to make soon!
Haha, I do like to hike, but I’m not a professional hiker, for sure. The hike we did up Mt. Emei (11 hours) was a lot more intense!
I am glad to hear it, China was wonderful and is very much worth a visit!
I am so jealous, that hike looks SO GORGEOUS! Wow. I really really want to go there now. My hubby and I love hiking and like to incorporate some of that into our vacations. (Ever been to the Cinque Terre in Italy? AMAZING!) And that meal looks out of this world. I bet it was especially delicious after a 6 hour hike.
It was amazing, trust me!
Totally worth a trip! And yes, Cinque Terre is gorgeous!!
Believe me, we shoveled the food!
I would love to visit China some day. The photographs are beautiful and the food is making me hungry. That chicken dish looks awesome!!!
Thank you so much!
I promise you won’t regret a trip to China, I was blown away by its beauty.
I visited China atleast 3 times and yet i couldn’t visit the great wall of China. That mapo doufu, is one of my fav tofu dish.
Oh no, how unfortunate! Where you in very far away parts of China then?
I too love mapo doufu and almost anything with Sichuan peppers.
yeah! I was in Beijing and Shanghai and had limited time in hand. It was work related trip you know
But China is in my wish list and sometime will visit there again and that time it would be to see the great wall of china 
We went to Mutianyu from Beijing, but it did take up a whole day to get there, hike, and return. Work-related trips are always like that
I hope you manage! It’s such a gorgeous country.
Yes! I will never forget on my honeymoon a breakfast we had in South Africa. It was some sort of egg, bacon, cheese baked goodie and delicious! I should really try to find it.
Your trip looks awesome! I’m glad you climbed the Great Wall. Its on my to do list.
Oh my, that sounds delicious! I’d love to visit South Africa, I bet the cuisine, too, is stunning
I hope you find a version of it!
Thanks, it really was great.
OMgoodness this is what dreams are made of. If there is a Chinese cuisine I like is Sichuan for the spice & I like dumplings too among others. Beautiful travel and food journey you chronicled!
I know, I had such a wonderful time in Sichuan
Many tears, but all delicious.
Once again, an amazing post! I have had a few memorable meals in my life time, but one that sticks with me was my husband and I were in Assisi, Italy and we were staying in a convent/hotel. The nuns were the sweetest ladies with big smiles all the time…because of the FOOD! It was incredible! We had a dinner that started with a simple tomato pasta starter, a salad then involtini with broccoli rabe. It was some of the freshest, best prepared food I’ve ever had.
As for a place – I stood in the center of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican in Rome and was almost alone the entire time….me, that big, beautiful chapel and some of the most magnificent artwork known to man. I was humbled.
Your trip to the Great Wall and the meal were incredible…I can see why they were so memorable!
Thank you so much, Ann!
I bet your stay was very special.
You Assisi meal sounds wonderful, and reminds me a little of the temple meal on Mount Emei that I posted about – food is such a positive force and doesn’t have to be fancy at all, it just connects people
Wow, good for you! Whenever I go, there are tons of people pressing through, which I am sure takes away much from the power of the chapel.
I’m so jealous of the wonderful adventures you’re having in China! Sounds like a wonderful meal =)
Thank you, it was an amazing trip, really
And the food was to die for!