Multisensory Experience (ThursdayTreeLove)

Todays post features trees differently.. Rather I am just sharing images of a unique experience that I was lucky to have last month. 

The Chicago Botanic Garden has an annual light festival called Lightscape around Christmas. Our tickets were for a 9PM entry, hence, cold was certainly what I expected but beyond that I really did not know what to look forward to. 

But what I experienced was totally mind blowing. Again, a phone camera is totally inadequate to capture the ambience but that does not stop me from sharing the images. I am sure some of our TTL bloggers from the US would have seen this or similar winter light displays. 

Getting back to the garden, we entered via a lit up archway and then walked on an about 1.25 mile-trail (about 2.01 kms) trail. Different artists had decorated each area in different themes using different lights, music and even other special effects like lasers, music, fire (all with due safety precautions!). 

Coming as I do from a tropical region, walking at below 0Deg C at night was daunting. But our hosts ensured we were warmly and securely clad which made the walk totally enjoyable and memorable. The entire visit was an grand surreal, multisensory experience. 

It was not a walk meant to identify trees. Rather I could appreciate their shapes and growth patterns which were high-lighted by the various lights. 

The moon held its own in the night sky despite the (artificial) million lights glittering below and  we could spot its reflection in the lake as well. 

Here is my humble attempt to capture memories of my visit.

I heavily recommend a visit to this garden at any time of the year and the light show if possible. I am told its tickets get sold out in November itself. 

Image credit to Rajendra Sonarikar. 

The Entrance

The Archway as soon as we entered

Dancing Flowers - each of the 'stems' changed colour and swayed 

Neon tree architecture 

The lights changed colour across the lake even as the flames shed a warm glow in the foreground

Eerily beautiful Willows

The image does not capture freezing cold and wind that we experienced!

The Moon shines brightly 

Here is a video.  The music is from the garden itself. 

I am joining Parul in her ThursdayTreeLove blog hop.

Do head over to see some fantastic trees from around the world.

Better still, join in!