Signs of Spring in Beijing

We arrived in Beijing in early spring. The landscape was a mixture of dormant twigs and branches, each seemingly awakening slowly from the preceeding long harsh winter (I am told the temperature dips to -20 Celcius in winter). The air was filled with expectations of new life. New buds were popping out on every branch. New life beckons!!!

A small bud struggling to burst forth from a dormant branch. It wasn't easy to get a chance to take pictured like these as the tour agent was busy hurrying us all the time and we hardly had time to 'smell the flowers'.

From the bud, premature petals open up...

And explodes into brilliant colours!!!

These plants were just everywhere! I took this at the Beijing Centre of Traditional Medicine

The pink ones are called 'Chinese Roses' according to the tour guide. We all thought they were Cherry Blossoms. But then again, I am no flower expert.

But this one was definitely cherry blossoms! Taken at the Great Wall of China in Badaling district. It was the nearest tree to the steps near the first sentry tower. If you climb higher you will see hundreds of similar trees dotting the entire hill/mountain! I imagine the hills would have been a brilliant sight in summer.