The air in Beijing was especially bad the last couple of weeks. Â According to the U.S. Embassy’s air quality monitoring station, Beijing’s Air Quality Index was consistently above 200 (unhealthy to very unhealthy) for many days in a row. Â I knew the air was bad because I could see it, and Beijing is too dry to be foggy 24/7!
Fortunately, I had an out.  A family friend has a place in å…«è¾¾å² (ba da ling), a town northwest of Beijing known for its touristy section of the Great Wall.  A mere hour away from central Beijing, Badaling is a great place to go for some fresh air.
Northern gate of Chadaocun
Even better, Badaling has more to offer than the commercialized, crowded, re-built section of the Great Wall for which it is best known.  My friend who lives out there showed me a quiet, beautiful old village called å²”é“æ‘ (cha dao cun) with a history of 450 years and an amazing, largely intact village wall.