Did Marco Polo really make it to china or was he BSing?

There were several Great Walls built, and extended. One 200 years before the birth of Christ. Another again 100 years before his birth. Another in the 12th century, and one more after that.

If Marco Polo spent as much time in Bejing with Ghengis Khan as he claimed, then he had to have seen the Great Wall. (The Wall not only being an actual part of the Silk Road, but only 23 miles northwest of Bejing, anyhow.)

quote:

Originally posted by ampmaster:
yeah all that stone and work you'd think it would be the first thing he wrote about

Well, seeing how he would have travelled in the south of the nation, and the wall does not entirely close the nation, I think it makes sense.

quote:

However, it IS kinda odd that he never mentions the Great Wall. One thinks he would.

In Marco Polo's day, the Great Wall wasn't all that great. First built 300 years before the birth of Christ, much of it had crumbled by the 13th century. "Almost everything the tourist is normally shown today was built in the 16th century.

I believe he went there. I think that his tales some of his tales sound over exaggerated because he didnt know what he was looking at. And that is the best way he could explain it. For instance when he talked about men with tales...he was talking about monkeys.

So yes I think he actually set foot in China

yeah all that stone and work you'd think it would be the first thing he wrote about

I think he exaggerated a lot of his tales, but I do believe he went to China.

However, it IS kinda odd that he never mentions the Great Wall. One thinks he would.