Rhododendron blossoming

This is a special time of the Rhododendron (Bagulnik) blossoming. It starts in May and continues till the end of June. They bear a richest collection of bright colors from purple to lilac, and have a special smell as well. It is one of my favorite times of the year to travel to Baikal lake. It has just recovered from the winter ice, with calm freezing-cold clearest water, new light-green leaves of the larches and fields of Bagulnik brightly blossoming on Baikal shores. This is how spring at Baikal lake looks like. Camping in a tent is especially pleasant among such beauty. You wake up early in the morning, pull a branch of the rhododendon to smell and find a drops of the morning dew washing its leaves. One must catch a moment before the sun dries it away. 

Almost everywhere you go at Baikal at this time of the year you'll find the rhododendron. It may be the slope near Listvyanka, the Circum-Baikal railway or any other place. But it is especially beautiful on Olkhon island. The ferry which takes cars and passengers to the island from the main land starts operating in mid-May, this year it starts on the 15th. It is the one of the best time for travelling to Olkhon. Almost no tourists, and the nature is all yours. Great shots for your photocamera and the eye!