…a small town that gets lots of tourist traffic because of its proximity to the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The park, which is just one of the seven in the greater area, became popular to the West when parts of it were shown in the popular Hollywood movie Avatar. Pre-movie, the park already had a status equivalent to the Yosemite park for the locals, so the movie just added a few more curious westerners per year in the visitors’ mix.
(The Macaques monkeys certainly are the rulers of the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park)
Connecting with a young man who is first generation Chinese living in the USA offered me an insight that was missing while experiencing China among mostly domestic tourists visiting their own country’s national treasures, a piece of knowledge that felt too important to be missed. China’s history – along with most Asian countries’ – had been in turmoil for decades after WWII and it’s only been a few years that its people are experiencing some stability and even economic growth. For most of the people I co-traveled with in the past couple of weeks, until recently, seeing the Great Wall or the Terracotta Warriors or the Zhangjiajie National Forest park was just crazy thinking. With the economy changing for the better, and without any imminent war threats, a bigger part of the nation can now afford to take an all inclusive tour to fulfill their heart’s desires. And so they do!
(Nature offers the most beautiful canvas, excuse me while I add a bit of me in it.)
Each important sight I’ve visited so far is crowded to its limits with Chinese people, mostly older, taking countless pictures with their high tech phones. And it’s wonderful! I will admit that at first it was one of the most annoying things, struggling to take even a look of a monument through all the hands holding a phone as high as possible. Now that I’m aware of this part of the culture, I am still pretty annoyed truth be told, but first of all there’s nothing I can do about it, and second, these people have earned the right to the treasures of their country, and standing aside patiently until they move on costs me nothing. Either way that’s the only option I’m left with, and I’ll gladly take it.
(From the bottom…)
The park itself is different than everything I’ve experienced in my travels before, combining the nature’s beauty and China’s history, culture and pride, and… fast food. For instance, the first day at the Zhangjiajie park I hiked a popular path for two hours, meeting only a handful of Western tourists, and when I reached the top I found at least seven groups of domestic tourists who had arrived there taking a cable car. A beautiful traditional building’s first floor is turned into a fancy jewelry shop, and in order to get to the top floor to enjoy the view I was harassed endlessly to buy something, anything – but at least the view was worth it. Finally, right in the middle of everything at the main plaza, lo and behold, a McDonalds! I opted for some stretching while observing the unique animal Asian tourists can make, and I made my way back to the entrance to contemplate lunch.
(…all the way to the top!)
The second day I decided to take the park’s famous glass elevator, the tallest outdoors elevator in the world. I can’t say the ride was worth it since it was too short to enjoy, but saving time and energy for the rest of the day was meaningful to me. I followed the tour groups since almost every sign in the park is in Chinese, and soon I was in awe.
(One of the stone pillars among the park’s “3,000 amazing peaks”, standing 150m tall and 1,074m above sea level. Or, according to a nearby sign, a strut supporting the sky.)
Incredible views from the top of a giant rock overlooking giant pillars standing straight and upright with beautiful trees on top of them; immense cliffs causing vertigo even to the toughest of stomachs; monkeys teasing the tourists and stealing any kind of food they lay their eyes on; and people taking pictures of each other, even creating well behaved queues in order to strike a pose in front of a beautiful pillar – can’t blame me for partaking!
(The line for taking a picture at this particular picturesque spot was long but as you can see it was worth it.)
According to the park’s signs the world’s first bridge is there (not sure what Greeks have to say about this) and it is decorated with red ribbons and locks visitors can buy from several kiosks, all on the name of good fortune. The result is unique and somehow absolutely fitting this particular part of the park.
(Red ribbons covered with good fortune symbols, and locks for securing said fortune. Everyone wishes to leave their mark for the mountains to remember them, adding a bit of red in Nature’s canvas.)
I admit I fell in love with the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, that despite the crowds with their guides’ flags and loudspeakers it made a memorable impression almost equal to the Great Wall.
(Every story deserves a happy ending, so here’s this one’s: steamed buns stuffed with meat, and spicy noddles with egg and vegetables.)