Down the Mall to the National Gallery

After seeing our fill of the kites we walked down the Mall and visited the National Gallery. We hit the impressionists part of the Gallery. Then we headed to Chinatown for lunch.

It was a very fun morning.

Fireworks Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Cherry Blossoms

Some highlights from the Southwest Waterfront Fireworks Festival celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the gift of cherry trees to Washington, DC

The Blossoms Start to Fade

There was some rainy weather over the weekend. So the cherry blossoms are beginning to fall. Here are a couple of pictures as they coat cars and the ground. But there are still some tress that have yet to fully bloom as you can see in the fourth picture. The last picture I believe is of a flowering plum tree. Very beautiful no matter what it is.

The Cherry Blossoms 2012

The blossoms are always incredible. I went down with a friend to see them after work on Wednesday. It started out as a overcast but in the course of our walk the skies cleared. Here are some of the pictures I took.

This is also the 100th anniversary of the blossoms:

In 1912, an incredible gift of 3,000 cherry blossom trees was bestowed on Washington, DC by Tokyo, Japan. Rooted strongly and surviving outside elements, the trees have withstood the test of time – and nearly a century later, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is preparing for an unprecedented and once-in-a-lifetime celebration.

The epic 5-week spectacular, from March 20 – April 27, 2012, will unify and electrify the city, the nation, and the world. Washington, DC and the region will be abuzz with excitement. Creativity and innovation will permeate signature Festival events elevating them to new heights, and ground-breaking Centennial exhibitions and programming will amaze and delight. Timeless traditions. Rich culture. Renowned artists. World-class performers. The community at its best!

Blossoms Everywhere

A View of the Jefferson

There are so many incredible shots of the blossoms you can take with the Jefferson Memorial in the back ground. Here are a couple.

Peaking Early

With all the warm weather we had so early this spring, the cherry blossoms peaked very early. In fact peak day was on Tuesday.

More Blossoms

You really have to walk around part or all of the Tidal Basin to get the full effect of all those trees and all those blossoms. It is just spectacular.

The Final Pictures of the Blossoms