Gem tree

This is another of my Russia? souvenirs, bought in the Urals at one of a variety of conferences and events I attended there - such a beautiful place. Actually that's except Karabash, which is one of the most polluted places in the world. I've driven through several times, and was always shocked by it. The Urals is a stunning area, hills and glens, trees, lakes, but when you near Karabash it suddenly stops looking like that and becomes more like a desert, with only a few spindly trees, almost no grass, and puddles that are turquoise and orange. But this wee tree reminds me of people and times rather than Karabash. I've been hearing lots from my friends and former colleagues in Russia this week, so they're in my mind, hence the decision to blip this gem tree.