For first timers to Zhangjiajie National Forest Park such as Karl Donauer from Dietfurt, Germany, seeing the world heritage site's majestic chandelier caverns and other-worldly sandstone peaks is enough reason to get excited.
Not only seeing the park's breathtaking views, but also being able to interact with them, in a sense, adds to their excitement.
Donauer has come to the park for the Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival 2011. Twenty-four foreign song-and-dance groups are staging a total of 31 performances on stages set up at the park's iconic scenic spots.
Another international visitor, Ruth Cirillo from the United States, is enjoying a performance at the Yellow Dragon Cave Ecological Square outside a huge karst cave. She says she loves the festival's stage settings.
What we're looking at is a guitar-shaped stage strategically placed in a river valley, between imposing mountains. Surrounding it are a huge water wheel, a rice paddy, a sorghum field, several farmhouses, and even a very quiet ox.
The setting can feel a bit cheesy, but remember, there are a total of six performance venues here, so visitors can always find one to their liking such as this small stage situated atop Tianzi Mountain at an altitude of more than 1,200 meters.
A performance has just gotten under way here with some traditional folk dances and a drum-beating ceremony from Sri Lanka.
Sahan Ranwala, head of the festival's Sri Lankan delegation, says he's proud to present a performance that celebrates his country's religious and cultural identity.
But despite its unparallel scenic elements, the music event falls short when it comes to management. For instance, at 8:50 a.m., we were still in a cable car with Mr. Yao who was hauling several microphone stands up to the mountaintop stage where the performance was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. sharp.
"Motor vehicles cannot reach here. Only cable cars can. We have to bring everything up, one after another. It takes some 100 cable car rides to get everything up here. The logistics is way too complicated."
As a result, we had to wait until 10 o'clock to her the first song of the day.
The Zhangjiajie International Country Music Festival will come to a grand finish on September 16th.
For CRI, this is Damin reporting from Zhangjiajie.
