Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.

This weekend I photographed a bridal shower in Maryland just outside of Washington, D.C. While I was already down there, I took the opportunity to go to the opening weekend of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Winter was hard in the Northeast this year and the blossoms still had not come out 2 days before the festival was set to begin. Visitors from all over the world come to see the gorgeous cherry trees in the nation's capital and it looked dismal for the opening of the festival. But Mother Nature cooperated and the blooms opened. It was a gray, overcast day and rain was in the forecast, but it held off for the 4 hours I walked around with my dear friend (Betsy) and little sis from our sorority at the University of Alabama. She lives in Alexandria, so I was not far from her home which allowed us to be able to ride over to the festival together, enjoy the day and then go out to lunch afterwards before I drove back home to Pennsylvania.

The cherry blossoms surrounding the Tidal Basin.

Across the way is the Jefferson Memorial.

Portrait of Betsy amongst the cherry blossoms
The rotunda and Thomas Jefferson himself

inside the Jefferson Memorial

Close-up of the cherry blossoms

The Korean War Memorial

Names of the fallen on the wall of the Vietnam War Memorial

View of the Washington Memorial from the Constitution Gardens

Tulips trees in bloom in the Constitution Gardens

There were ducks and geese in the pond inside the Constitution Gardens

Inside the Constitution Gardens is a memorial to those

who signed the Declaration of Independence. It is
amazing to see the calligraphy used in the day that
each man penned to that famous document.

Another portrait of Betsy by the Tidal Basin

with the Jefferson Memorial in the background.

There are hundreds of cherry trees surrounding the

lake that is known as the Tidal Basin. It is centrally

located with all of the memorials scattered around it.

Visitors can rent paddle boats and float around the lake.

Betsy also got a photo of me during our excursion.

The massive Lincoln Memorial

Lincoln looks over the waters of the reflecting pool

to the other end of the city, where the Capitol is located.

Close-up of President Abraham Lincoln

Check back later in the week for photos of the
bridal shower I photographed on Saturday.