AS HAPPINESS: "SAKURA"...CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN WASHINGTON DC

"SAKURA"...CHERRY BLOSSOMS IN WASHINGTON DC

The 2009 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade was held on Saturday, April 4, 2009 in the capital with Mr. Alex Trebeck from JEOPARDY TV Show as the Grand Marshall. It is an annual event since 1912 commemorating, "the gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington, honoring the lasting friendship between the United States and Japan and celebrating the continued close relationship between our two cultures," according to the National Cherry Blossom Festival Official Website.

This year the one mile parade route passed along the historic Constitution Avenue NW, beginning at 7th Stret...along the way in front of some important architectures...like the National Archives, Smithsonian Museums, the Washington Monument and the White House and ending at 17 Street...200 groups of various organizations and shows participated in this event including 12 marching bands.

Some family friends from Maryland joined us to watch the parade here.

The Queens of 2009 Sakura from Japan and of the Cherry Blossom Beauty Pageant from USA were posing for the writer. They also participated in SAKURA MATSURI - the nation's largest Japanese Street Festival held in Downtown DC.

The Parade moved from

the right side to the left in front of the buildings.

Friends were posing.

The Parade was over and spectators were leaving the area.

A Japanese family who lived in Baltimore, MD also joined nearby us.

The little girl, held by her mother, wore the traditional kimono printed with cherry blossoms...so beautiful...the proud mother is always smiling...unfortunately it is not shown in the picture.

"Again...," said the girl. "Again...?," replied the father. Again...and again...the girl jumped up and down the granite fence stone tirelesslly...parent's sacrifice for love to daughter or son has no boundary.

A bright colorful double decker bus...a good choice for touring around Washington DC.

The center of Cherry Blossom Festival is located around the peripheral of Tidal Basin, a lake off Potomac River on the left side...Washington Monument is on the top...and Thomas Jefferson Memoial on bottom.

Heading to Tidal Basin...through the National Mall.

Walking...in the direction to the Washington Monument.

...a tall, sand-colored obelisk...near the west end of the National Mall.

A row of laterines provided for the public...in case...when you have to...you've to go...period.

The Washington Monument is 555 feet high...0r 169 m. Inside the structure there are 897 steps and an elevator built in 1959.

The first sight of Sakura...beautiful flower...subhanallaah...glory to Allaah.

Thousands of people...it was packed...hard to move...difficult to maintain a steady hand for taking sharp photo.

Tidal Basin Paddle Boat Rides...for $8.00/hour for a two-person boat...on that day there was no one riding...everybody on the shore enjoying Cherry Blossoms...a gift of nature from God.

The peak of the bloom for this year's season was March 28 - April 12...and it is a very short season...after two weeks or so...it is gone until the next year.

Crossing a small bridge...going to Jefferson Memorial front area.

Tidal Basin is in front of the Jefferson Memorial.

It was a very nice day...but choppy water...with a windy weather that day.

70% of the trees are the species of YOSHINO cherries.

Words from a famous song: Sakura, Sakura...Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,

(verses are completed at the following photos)

Yayoi no so rawa...Under the April sky,

Miwatasu kagiri...As far as you can see,

Kasumi ka? Kumo ka?...Like mist or like clouds?

Nioi zo izuru...Blooming fragrantly,

Iza ya, iza ya...Let us go, let us go,

Mi ni yukan...Let us go to see them.

The small blue structure in front of the Jefferson Memorial...a set-up stage for performances to entertain visitors...Indonesian's community presented excellent ANGKLUNG Musics...in bamboo instruments about 45 minutes...bagus sekali!