The winter scenery of Nanjing Xuanwu Lake is not be missed. And just the tonic to brighten up a subdued populace might be a virtual, or even physical (for the brave) tour of the lake, its stunning winter splendor and the attractions therein.
The maple leaves are red and the redwood forests all around are changing into their winter clothes, offering a blaze of colour on which to feast the eyes.
Those who do dare to go outside to visit Xuanwu Lake at this time shall find not only their spirits raised, but also a few initiatives to keep the winter chill off as they tour the Lake.
Under the protection of transparent, plastic curtains, visitors taking to one of the Lake’s pleasure boats can appreciate the scenery and be shielded from the chilly wind.
Still on the water, Xuanwu Lake’s double-decker cruise ship not only has an outdoor observation platform popular with bird watchers, but also a warm cabin with air conditioning.
On land, the Xuanwu Lake History Museum remains open, charting the development and evolution of the Lake from prehistoric times. Therein, visitors shall also come to appreciate the uniqueness of this former royal garden lake. The Museum, located in Xuanwu Cultural Square on Liangzhou, is open daily from 09: 00-16:30.
Elsewhere, the wintersweet is presently blooming in the Jinling Bonsai Garden on Liangzhou and on Cuizhou. Also known as chimonanthus praecox or Japanese allspice, wintersweet is not only colourful but highly fragrant.
Together with the splendor of the overall environment, the flowers make for another reason to choose a sunny day, brave the outdoors and get on down to Nanjing’s Xuanwu Lake while the seasonal colours last.
Interested readers who would prefer the virtual tour can watch a video featuring beautiful aerial photography of Xuanwu Lake in winter published this morning, 21 December, by the Yangtze Evening News via this link.
