Almost everyone smiled. The rest of the journey was a smooth ride with a smooth taste of whisky. Immediately after arriving at Huairou Bus Station, I changed to a local bus to the foot of the Mutianyu Great Wall. By the time I had taken a cable car up onto the Wall, it was nearly noon. The sky was azure blue. A lovely breeze saluted me. For the fi rst time in my life, here I was, breathing in this crisp air on the Wall.