Once a year, for a period of two weeks, a marvellous spectacle takes place that attracts both locals and tourists, lots of tourists. It is the spectacle of the wisteria in bloom at the start of spring in a special and magical place, located in the city’s historic La Concepción Botanical Garden.

I consider this place a true paradise; it has a unique energy and, whilst I love the sea and could say that the beaches have something special, it is in this place surrounded by nature that I feel something in the air that cannot be put into words.

This 29 hectare botanical garden, which I haven’t yet managed to explore fully, every time I visit I discover a new área, is like a space straight out of a dream. I don’t think I can put into words what it feels like; you have to be there to experience it. Time stands still, I think, because of the sheer beauty of the surroundings.

The number of paths in this garden is impressive, and on this visit I realised I’d explored new ones I’d never been down before, and I love that. Discovering new places, staircases, hidden passageways and exploring them is something I really enjoy.

In this place, I fully recharge my batteries; it relaxes me and takes away all my stress, it literally heals me.

The sun always tries to peek through the various paths, which are lined with trees, plants and shrubs, amidst lush, boundless vegetation.

On one occasion I went to see the spectacle I mentioned, but I arrived late and wasn’t able to enjoy it to the full. This time, I first rang ahead to find out if the blossoms had started to bloom. It’s a long journey from where I live to the garden, involving a bus ride plus a half-hour walk to reach the entrance. It’s an event that takes place in the last two weeks of March and attracts large crowds, with guided tours also available.

I walked along many paths to reach the garden; I’m always fascinated by those paths and enjoy strolling along them, discovering new trails. On this particular day, the garden was more beautiful than ever; with spring just beginning, everything looked like something out of a fairy tale. I hope I can convey what I felt that day and my experience.

The large wisteria arbour stands next to the palace, a very old building where the Marquises who owned it lived and held all manner of events; the grounds also featured facilities such as tennis courts. Back then, over a hundred years ago, the place was for the very wealthy, and the Marquises of Casa Loring even set up their own museum there, collecting magnificent works of art and even funding excavations. And right next to that beautiful palace, the wonderful spectacle of the wisteria in bloom takes place once a year, which I had the great opportunity to experience this year.

From one of the paths, I could look up and see that lilac colour standing out against the various shades of green, which in turn sparkled in the sunlight. I could even make out its very delicate scent from a distance.

I continued along a path where several trees had very striking flowers in various colours; I felt as though I were on another planet.

I walked around the path, always keeping sight of the part of the grand gazebo that I could see. There were lots of people taking photographs and visiting the area, both photographers and whole families; the children were running and playing along the paths, whilst the adults admired this beautiful spectacle.

I arrived at the palace and there I was able to take in the full splendour of that marvel; I cannot put the feeling into words, awe, perhaps surprise, sheer amazement. Words simply fall short. One of the few things that truly amaze me in this life is nature, and I let it do so. Just admire these beautiful flowers which, together with the greenery, create a path, a trail where the ceiling is like a dome painted by a famous artist, the universe, in this case.

The flowers cascaded like clusters from the top of the gazebo, creating a view so beautiful it captivated all the senses. The colours were marvellous and mingled with the sound of birdsong, especially sparrows; the sweet scent of the flowers, both the wisteria and others nearby, made the walk beneath the gazebo simply fantastic.

I touched them, of course; I wanted to feel their softness, so that all my senses could enjoy this beauty.

Before continuing my walk through the gazebo and heading further in, I noticed a sign I’d never seen before. It was a small exhibition of various items from the palace that formed part of the daily life of the Marquises of Casa Loring in La Concepción.

In one of the palace’s halls, they had arranged lots of furniture, ornaments and even a piano, and I have to tag @mipiano because I know she’d love to see it. All of this had been placed behind display cases with labels in Spanish and English, explaining everything on display. To be honest, I don’t know if they’ve had to restore any of what you see, but it was all very beautiful, especially the armchairs and decorations, such as the vases, which I loved, some of them had rather unusual shapes.

It was very difficult to take a photo of the inscriptions, both because of my own reflection and the people coming in; the place was very narrow and there were also some rays of sunlight coming in, but I think I managed it. And to take photos of the furniture, I pressed my phone’s camera against the glass. You have to use your wits.

As I left that narrow, short corridor where you could enter and view that little museum, I saw the door to the palace’s inner garden and couldn’t help but stop and admire its beauty, especially the water fountain and the antique benches. It’s another of those magical places.

As I stepped out, I made my way under the wisteria arbour; you can judge for yourselves just how wonderful it was, it’s truly breathtaking. It feels as though there’s a canopy of flowers above me and the most beautiful shadows are cast on the ground.

I had to wait quite a while to make sure there weren’t too many people in the photos, but it was well worth the wait. Every step I took in that long, enormous arbour was worth it.

On my way out, I came across a pond with goldfish and views like this; I love steps set amidst nature. But that’s another story.

Thank you very much for joining me today; I send my warmest regards to you all. See you soon.
Amonet.