Great Wall after 17 years

It was 1995 when I first saw the great wall of China. I had heard a lot about the wall but setting foot there was really a new experience. It was a cloudy August day when we went to Badaling to see the massive stone fortification measuring 8,850 km in length. This is made up of 6,259 km sections of actual wall, 359 km of trenches and 2,232 km of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.Another archaeological survey found that the entire wall with all of its branches measure out to be 21,196 km. Our country Nepal is merely over 900 km long (what a comparison). The wall built by many emperors of different dynasties starting from 7th century was for border security and regulation of trade along the silk road. The main part of the wall today is one built during the Ming Dynasty. The wall with its watch towers and barracks stand out among the rolling hills and is considered one of the seven wonders of the world due to its massive structures. This year again I was at the great wall and was searching for the part where I was 17 years before. But this time we were at Juyongguan valley, several kms far from where I was one and half decade ago. I had a nostalgic feeling standing on those walls which had been built on expense of sweat, blood and lives of tens of thousands of slaves whose souls still roam on those stony walls.