D.C. Cherry Blossoms

I went up to D.C. to visit the cherry blossoms last weekend and it never failed to impress me. There is nothing that signals spring has fully arrived in D.C. more than the arrival of the cherry blossoms. In the past couple of years, the blossoms have been destroyed too early by storms and high winds, but this year it was glorious. It was perfect weather - not too hot, not too cold - so swarms of people had turned out to view the blossoms. You would think havoc would ensue, but it was fine. Sure, you had walk in an 'S' shape half the time to avoid the people stopping in the middle of the path suddenly to take a picture, but you also got to see young couples, families with their little children, tourists and residents chattering in foreign languages, and a happy dog or two. I had a real American melting pot moment there, see all these different people of different ages, sexes, colors, heritages coming together to take in the view of pretty white-pink blossoms on the edges of the Potomac River. Quite fittingly, we ended our tour at the Jefferson Memorial where an enormous statue of the man rose up against the backdrop. I can't help but to imagine that had he actually been watching over the scene today, he would be quite happy indeed.