Shoes, Ships, and Sealing Wax

And now for something completely different...frivolity!

I've been in a crappy mood lately, so when I saw the weather forecast for this weekend (perfect) I suggested to Victor that we take the bikes downtown to see the cherry blossoms. I've lived here my entire life (well, except the brief Pensacola exile, but you know what I mean) and I have never made a trip specifically to see the trees around the Tidal Basin in bloom. Once, some years ago, I was doing a bike ride when they were in bloom and a friend suggested we go by, but that's been it. The reason I don't go is that I'm not a fan of crowds, and well, no offense to those of you who don't live here but wish to visit, but tourists can be a bit of a, um, nuisance. (I'm sure I'd be a nuisance if I were touring a place where I don't live, too, which is why I never go anywhere. I don't want to annoy anybody.)

Anyway...remember last summer, when I decided to hike through a swamp in August three days after a hurricane?

That idea was brilliant compared to "let's go see the cherry blossoms."

I thought we were early enough. We left the house at 7, still cold out, still quiet. Here are the bikes on the car. Hey, what's that behind the bikes? Why yes...they are cherry trees! In bloom! All I had to do was look out the freaking window!

We started to get the idea that maybe we weren't as early as we thought when all our "let's just park there" ideas were no good. I thought people slept in on Sunday, or went to church. We didn't get to the Tidal Basin until 8:24.

Which is still early for a Sunday morning. Except...look at the traffic!

Okay, the blossoms were pretty.

But the people!

Ok, it was pretty. I heard someone ask a park ranger where to find this, by the way.

Ok, I don't like crowds, but what really pissed me off was the trash...Starbucks cups floating in the water, this pile of crap under a tree.

I did get the shot I have always wanted:

And it was pretty. But we gave up on trying to get around the entire Tidal Basin, on bike or on foot...it was too crowded and too many people were paying more attention to their camcorders that where they were going. I wonder how many people end up taking a swim every April?

All the tourists were taking pictures of themselves with the trees, so we did too.

Funny thing, on the way back to the car, we found a lovely group of trees on 17th Street. I think these blossoms are actually prettier, and it wasn't crowded at all.

Oh, and I stopped on the way home and bought a new bike. It's a sweet ride, and it won't be going near the Tidal Basin until all those petals are gone.

Posted by Nic at April 10, 2005 06:04 PM