Washington Cherry Blossoms




There is something special about living in the Washington, D.C. area. Most of the time it is the history, both past and present, that make it awe-inspiring. There is one time of year that is truly spectacular in Washington and that is the spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.
Some of you are probably saying, "gee, what is the big deal about a bunch of flowers on trees?" It really is something that you must see to appreciate, and it is hard not to (unless you suffer from allergies, in which case Washington/Northern Virginia is the worst place to be in the spring). There is much more to the cherry blossom experience than just seeing the beauty of the flowering trees surrounding the Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial and Washington monument. There is the experience of being packed into a crowd of tourists from all over the world who descend upon the city to see the trees. There is the attempt to get parking amid all of the tourists and their buses. There is the attempt to walk around the tidal basin amid the thousands of tourists only to stop every ten feet because someone in front of you is taking a photo. There are the traffic jams. It really is a lot of work to see the legendary cherry blossoms and you need to be in the right frame of mind so that you can enjoy it.

As official locals, we have discovered that early Sunday morning is the best time to go. There are different definitions of "early" in our house. Mom's definition of "early" is 6 AM. Anna's definition of "early" is 7 AM. Dad's definition of "early" is anything before noon and especially before he's had his coffee. We ended up leaving at 10 AM, which worked out fine. We secured parking and joined the masses for the annual viewing of the blossoms. Anna enjoyed the paddleboats on the tidal bason and the fountain at the FDR memorial. Mom & Dad enjoyed the blossoms, although we just missed their peak by about two days. Thanks to the 50 mph winds Friday and Saturday, the blossoms took a beating. The FDR memorial provided the best views, and a great fountain to entertain Anna. It is a fantastic memorial -- one of the best in DC. To top it off, the weather was a sunny 70 degrees. It was a great Washington day!

If you have a chance, make the trip to Washington just once to see the blossoms. It must be a spectacular sight if even the hardened locals brave the crowds every year to take a look.










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