23. China (The Great Wall)
A sweaty, claustrophobic ascent in the cable car after
continuous traffic jams from Beijing to Badaling.
A cacophony of hawkers: it’s all noise and crowds.
Until – my tiny daughter takes her very first steps
(on the Great Wall itself!),
and all of us – hawkers, tourists, guides –
become one universal parent.
jpm
50 words for 50 countries 