With the arrival of spring there come new beginnings, fresh starts, looking forward to hot summer nights under the stars, the start of outdoor festivals and events, and cherry blossoms, also known as Sakura. It feels like a symbolic awakening after a long winter of hibernation that can be felt in many cities around the world. People come out in droves and gather in parks to view the beauty of these small pink and white flowers in full bloom. The Sakura trees look as though they have been covered by clouds of flowers. Truly a spectacular sight admired by thousands.
I thought this would also be a great time to start and introduce a new series on the blog. Beginning with this post I will be launching “Tourist in my Backyard”. This series will feature me playing tourist in my home town of Toronto and surrounding area to showcase all there is to do right in your own “backyard”. Through this series I hope to inspire you to venture out and rediscover your own city and all it has to offer. Many times we forget about the places we live because we become so accustomed to them. But the truth is we don’t need to travel far, we don’t need to fly over oceans or take trains over boarders. We can find adventure and great things to do and explore right where we live. If you need help rediscovering your backyard please email me with the name of your city and the date you are trying to find an adventure for and I’ll be happy to help. Sometimes all it takes is a look with fresh eyes and a new perspective.
Now back to the scheduled programming…
High Park Cherry Blossoms
Depending on where in the world you are, the sakura tree starts blooming anywhere from mid to late February till it’s peak in May. And there are so many cities around the world that celebrate these beautiful cherry blossoms that I’m sure you can find one relatively close by to enjoy them for yourself. Originating in Japan, the sakura tree is now widely distributed with cherry blossom festivals being held in France, Germany, Netherlands, England, India, China, Australia and many cities throughout the United States and of course Canada. There are a few locations in Toronto where you can find cherry blossoms, but the majority are located in High Park. So High Park is where I went.
I’ll be completely honest here. I haven’t gone to High Park in at least five years, probably more, and it’s literally down the street from me. I can see the tree tops from my high rise windows. And what’s worst, I’ve never gone to see the cherry blossoms and I’ve lived in the city for almost 30 years. 30 YEARS! Hence I thought that this blog series is very much needed.
In Toronto the blooming season is around the last week of April to first week of May. And during this time the park gets thousands of visitors from across the city, plus many tourists, that gather to picnic under the blooming trees and enjoy the view. And I got to say, it’s quite the sight to see. Not only the sakura flowers but also the flocks of people all in one place. I went on a Saturday afternoon and the park was packed. The weather wasn’t even the greatest with an overcast sky and chilly wind. But that didn’t stop people from sitting under the trees. I can’t imagine how much busier it would have been had the day been sunny and warm. So my first piece of advice is if you can, go during the week or early in the morning to try to avoid some of the crowds. It will make for better photos too as you won’t be fighting for position under a tree.
My second piece of advice is to walk. I parked my car outside the park and walked the rest of the way. High Park is quite large, think Toronto’s version of Central Park in NYC, and the main grouping of the trees is in the centre by the pond. It’s quite a hike, but a pleasant one, so I would recommend walking if possible. Parking in the park is very limited and with the number of people that turn up the traffic is at a standstill. By the late afternoon they even closed the drive in entrance to prevent more cars from entering. So best is to get there by public transit or park elsewhere and walk. After all you are going to a park to enjoy fresh air and nature, not car fumes.
As I said the weather was a bit on the chilly side when I went, but I still brought some sandwiches to enjoy a mini picnic on a bench overlooking the cherry blossoms. It’s a nice way to have rest and enjoy the day. There is a restaurant at the park and some hot dog and ice-cream vendors, but way overpriced, so I’d suggest brining your own goodies and even a blanket to sit on.
The cherry blossoms were of course beautiful and it was such a great way to spend a weekend afternoon. They should still be in bloom for another week so if you are in the area I recommend making a basket and heading over to High Park. And if you are in a different part of the world check to see if there are any cherry blossoms around.
If you’ve had the chance to see the blossoms I’d love to know where in the world you were? Leave your sakura stories in the comments below.
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