SPRING IN “THE VALLEY OF HEAVEN”

I arrived in Hunza in mid-april, when spring seemed to have suddenly spread everywhere. Cherry blossoms, apricot blossoms and peach blossoms bloomed brightly and then quickly faded away, replaced by fresh green buds sprouting on the thin branches.

I ARRIVED IN HUNZA IN MID-APRIL, WHEN SPRING SEEMED TO HAVE SUDDENLY SPREAD EVERYWHERE. CHERRY BLOSSOMS, APRICOT BLOSSOMS AND PEACH BLOSSOMS BLOOMED BRIGHTLY AND THEN QUICKLY FADED AWAY, REPLACED BY FRESH GREEN BUDS SPROUTING ON THE THIN BRANCHES, SYMBOLIZING THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW, SPIRITED AND OVERFLOWING VITALITY.

Located in northern Pakistan, surrounded by mountains over 7,000 m high in the Karakoram range, adjacent to Xinjiang (China) in the northeast and the Wakhan corridor (Afghanistan) in the northwest, Hunza is not only known as a wonderland with majestic and distinguished natural scenery, but also a sence of placid bliss.

Hunza is divided into three areas: Upper, Lower and Central Hunza. Each area is located at a different elevation, so the weather and the plants also have different characteristics. Naturally, production of flowers and crops increases in the spring and decreases in the autumn.

In the early spring when I visitted the sky was not very clear, especially in the Upper, with gray clouds hovering on top of the towering rocky or glacial mountains, accompanied by bitter winds. We saw many activities from travelers leisurely sightseeing to smiling farmers rushing to their fields with smiles on their faces despite the snow and sun, to clear-eyed children laughing at play. All of the people created a very pleasant and captivating spring melody that truly deserves the name “the valley of heaven” given to Hunza by tourists.

“THE VALLEY OF HEAVEN”