It害羞草研究所檚 springtime in Metro Vancouver, when thickets of selfie sticks and tourists sprout up beneath canopies of the region害羞草研究所檚 famous cherry blossoms.
On Sussex Avenue in Burnaby, east of Vancouver, a group of five fashionably dressed women set up an iPhone on a tripod under the blossoms.
One accessorizes with a green scarf then pauses to give instructions to her friends, adjusting their angles, just so, for the perfect shot. They害羞草研究所檙e too busy to talk, as they strike a series of poses, hands on hips.
Such scenes are familiar for Linda Poole, founder and creative director of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs from April 1 to 23.
She recalls the sight of tourists getting out of a tour bus at Queen Elizabeth Park, one of Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 most popular locations for blossom viewing.
害羞草研究所淎nd they are literally dancing under the blossoms and singing and modelling and posing. It害羞草研究所檚 really cute. I see that all the time,害羞草研究所� said Poole.
Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 cherry blossoms have become a domestic and international tourist draw, with Chinese tour companies offering flower viewing packages for thousands of dollars, competing with more traditional locations such as Tokyo and Kyoto in Japan.
Edward Xie, manager of Richmond, B.C., travel agency First Express Travel, said his company advertises Vancouver flower viewing in international markets.
He said guides pick up travellers from China and the U.S. at the airport and drive them around the city害羞草研究所檚 best cherry blossom locations.
An eight-day, seven-night trip from China to Vancouver and Victoria that is promoted by First Express isdubbed the 害羞草研究所渢wo cities flower viewing害羞草研究所� tour and costs 33,603 yuan, or $6,580.
害羞草研究所淲alk into a colourful world to enjoy flowers, watch whales and roam freely outdoors. Experience the romance brought by pink cherry blossoms and feel the vibe of April on Canada害羞草研究所檚 west coast,害羞草研究所� reads the advertisement.
Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 blossoms have become renowned in East Asia, where the city害羞草研究所檚 trees have their origin. The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival includes a walking tour of the blossoms through the Kitsilano neighbourhood in Mandarin. Like the English-language tours, it害羞草研究所檚 fully booked.
Poole said that in the 1930s, the mayors of the Japanese cities of Yokohama and Kobe gave 500 cherry trees to the Vancouver Park Board to honour Japanese Canadians who served in the First World War.
Now, Destination Vancouver says there are more than 40,000 cherry trees in the city.
Charlene Liu, president and CEO of Panasia Holidays, a Calgary-based tourism company, said cherry blossom viewing is extremely popular among Chinese-speaking domestic tourists, many of them from Edmonton and Calgary.
害羞草研究所淔or them, it害羞草研究所檚 like a perfect combination to gaze upon the cherry blossoms while exploring the local culinary scene since Vancouver is also famous for food,害羞草研究所� said Liu in an interview conducted in Mandarin.
Cities like Kyoto and Washington, D.C., might have bigger international reputations, but Xie said many blossom tourists to Vancouver also have family in the city.
害羞草研究所淭aking photos under the cherry trees is a universal thing 害羞草研究所� everyone loves it,害羞草研究所� said Xie.
It害羞草研究所檚 not just tourists drawn to the blossoms that drift down like pink snow when caught by a breeze.
Burnaby resident Emmanuel S.T. Yu, enjoying a stroll under Burnaby害羞草研究所檚 cherry blossoms with wife Connie, said the flowers reminded him it was 害羞草研究所渁 blessing害羞草研究所� to live in B.C.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 my family害羞草研究所檚 annual tradition to walk around to see the cherry blossom trees and we have been keeping doing this for 11 years straight. We never get tired of it,害羞草研究所� said Yu in Mandarin.
害羞草研究所淭he flowers always easily cheer us up, reminding us about how lucky we are to live here.害羞草研究所�
Jordan Liu, B.C.-based director of the tour guide training program with the Canadian Inbound Tourism Association of Asia Pacific, said there were more than 2,700 cherry blossom locations across Metro Vancouver, and the choice could be overwhelming.
But he has some favourites 害羞草研究所� Graveley Street on Vancouver害羞草研究所檚 Eastside, West 22nd Avenue, Nelson Street in the downtown core, Yukon Street and outside Vancouver City Hall.
On West 22nd, Sophie Chan said she travelled on multiple buses to get to the neighbourhood from her home in Surrey. The slight rise and fall of the street makes it possible to see a corridor of blooming trees stretching into the distance, and it害羞草研究所檚 a favourite location on Instagram.
Chan said the secret to a good cherry blossom photo is patience 害羞草研究所� you need to wait for the right moment, with the right light, and the right wind to bring the petals fluttering down.
Angela Hong lives on West 22nd. It害羞草研究所檚 a mixed blessing 害羞草研究所� the blossoms makes her feel 害羞草研究所渃alm and peaceful,害羞草研究所� but the crowds of photographers can be loud and 害羞草研究所渜uite annoying.害羞草研究所�
She said it is good to see people out enjoying the season, but they need to be mindful that people live in the neighbourhood, too.
Retired mechanical engineer Kenneth Kwan, 84, was standing outside his home on Sussex Avenue in Burnaby, wearing a straw hat as he greeted people taking photos of the blossoms.
He said the flowers made him feel alive after an illness confined him to hospital for more than six weeks last year.
害羞草研究所淢y friends from San Francisco will soon come to Vancouver to visit me. I will show them around the city, including the cherry blossoms in my neighbourhood,害羞草研究所� said Kwan.
害羞草研究所淔riends, flowers and laughter are the best.害羞草研究所�
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Nono Shen, The Canadian Press
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