Climbing and taking pictures

Have you ever lived in a place with almond trees?

Not a plantation but scattered trees growing voluntarily, here and there, among other indigenous trees. That was the case with my previous residence and I just loved to visit my favorite ones when they were blooming and photograph them relentlessly :)

It is something that makes me happy and when I moved I figured that it was a pleasure that I had to be deprived of. I accepted it half-hearted but I didn't like it, not at all!

Now the thing with almond trees among other vegetation, is that they tend to be kind of invisible during most of the year but they can be spotted from far away when they have bloomed. Imagine my excitement when I saw a few of them very close to my home!

The only problem was that I had to climb almost vertically to get to them but now that I have spotted them, that small technicality wasn't going to stop me :)

The almond trees in question are on that steep hillside under the castle. On the bottom half of the hill but still in a quite rugged place! It is hard to see them in the picture above but take my word for it, they are there and I have payed my respects to their beauty from up close :)

Before I continue with the "how" I got there, let me show you a few pictures that I took when I actually did. I can't wait any longer :)

Aren't they beauties or is it just me getting overexcited?

Consider that those trees are totally untended, growing on a steep and unfriendly environment. And yet when the time comes they unfold all their beauty lavishly!

But I haven't told you yet how I got up there.

The first one that I saw was very close to the main road but absolutely off limits. Do you see it in the picture above? Maybe now you understand a little better what I mean when I say unfriendly environment :)

The second one (pic below) was even closer to the road but it had already finished the blooming period and it had only green leaves. Actually it was that tree that got me thinking a couple of weeks ago, that maybe there are a few almond trees around here after all and I should keep my eyes open.

Fortunately I did :)

Climbing on a steep hill is not something that would scare me. Especially not after nine years tending olive groves in a similar terrain! And when I reached the first almond tree, I had both the pleasure of a wonderful blooming and a lovely view over the old town!

It was lovely up there but it wasn't enough. I wanted more and I could already see some more trees blooming uphill.

I had also realised that I was very close to the stairs that lead to the castle so even though I didn't use them on my way up, I could have an easy descent whenever I decided that I had enough of rough terrain for the day!

So I kept climbing and taking pictures!

I had missed the rough terrain too! It is nice once in a while to climb on a steep hill feeling that you are conquering it, one step after another. As long as you don't have to do it every day, as I had to in my past daily routine :)

Nevertheless for my way down I chose the easy way. I took the staircase filled with beautiful images and feelings. And for one more year with plenty new pictures of my favourite blooming tree :)

Have a lovely weekend ahead!