Festival for sale

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Long table festival is one of the selling point for the developing of Yuanyang tourist industry. so...no matter what occation, we will have a Long table festival. just like yesterday, the 50th anniversary of the established of Honghe Prefecture. a chain of activities went on in the area. music shows, bon-fire overnight, huge car tour came and go, and of course...a visit to our magnetificient terrace scene. and yesterday they setup the long table scene in the only through fare street in town. guarded and blocked by police from both end of the street. The top end of the line seat the unknow tribal head, no idea from where or which village, as traditionally this is the Hani ceremony for their village guarding god. so even for a fake one, they should created a tribal headman, was it an artist from one of the TV crew? anyways...the whole thing last no more than an hour, of course they started to setup table since morning hour. you could see the TV crew disembled their camera and equipment soon after those so call important guests got their photo taken and toast and disappeared. there was 600 table being set along the street, and seem like a lot of left over food, what a waste, and it would be end up along the hillside this evening...more garbage! but still, many Chinese tourist hang around for more drinks, and there was a group of French tourist. very imporant for the Chinese press, I can find the Honghe news got and page said how this festival impressed the French, the French tourist said..... they even got their name! not sure what they quoted are real or invented. in realtime I could see they followed suit while the local chanting "Dolllllll......." mean drink, then they start with their french folk singing(I guess), stepdance a little bit, and bottom up!
couple of independent traveler step into our center, trailed by many local Hani women. "can you help me?" he asked. those Hani women came right in and speak like a machine gun in their language. and I call out Bai and help translated. ok then...they white man wanted to send them back their picture, and need an address, and those women wanted to have one picture for each of them. of course...white man promised and the picture will send to me and they come pick up in a month time. done and hope the picturewll arrive!
and before they left, the little kid came with those women turn and said to me. will you promise us the photos? I look at the white man and told him. and yes...he smile and confirmed!
the street had been clean up as fast as it was started. actually no one know about when and what time the festival will start, only those participated knew what was going on. money had been spend and only for couple of hours and then finish. you wouldn't know there was a festival if you justarrive! I really didn't like this kind of show. if a festival should be seen everyday. then there will be no more longing to see the festival. just like the one in Banna, the water festival, you could have it everyday.

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