Spring at the Capital’s Tidal Basin

Jefferson Memorial across the Tidal Basin, yesterday.  (Photo/Bergeron)

When we drove into Washington, D.C., yesterday, it was to visit the Newseum on 

Pennsylvania Avenue.  

We also planned to check out the cherry blossoms near the Washington Monument and the Tidal Basin, across from the Jefferson Memorial. 

Our main purpose, at least when we left the Schleckser home in Potomac, was to spend most of our time at the Newseum. 

As the name implies, it is a museum which houses a vast exhibit depicting the growth of news gathering and its dissemination to the public in every manner, from the early days of printing to our current – at times mind-numbing – array of media, Internet, and wireless forms of information.

To truly appreciate the graphical exhibits of how the distribution of news services grew in America, it can take a full day to enjoy and to absorb the wide variety of appealing and colorful displays. 

Cherry blossoms in full bloom near the Washington Monument. (Photo/Bergeron)

Together with our daughter Denise, Priscille and I did it in about three hours, because we also wanted to check the blooming stage of the buds on Washington’s famous cherry trees. 

We never expected to see the blossoms as far advanced as they were, given the continuing cold, which seems to not want to free the northeast from its grip.

However, we were pleasantly surprised and delighted:  Along the far edge of the Washington Monument and the curved walkway of the Tidal Basin, I’d estimate that the blossoms are at least, as a group, about 80% full.  The Washington Post shows a map indicating peak blooming during the middle of the coming week.

Cherry trees in Washington, D.C. 3/26/2011. (Photo/Dick Bergeron)

It was a day of walking and enjoying – lots of it.  From about 12:45 in the afternoon until around 6:30 PM, when we left the parking garage for home. 

Our legs got a real workout.  It was a pleasure to see so many people – hundreds, if not more – leisurely enjoying our capital city’s tourist offerings. 

The official Washington parade in honor of this event will be on Saturday, April 9, from 10:00 am to noon.  There should still be plenty of cherry trees displaying their beauty – perhaps even under warmer temperatures.

 

Note, 4/8/11:  The date of the official National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade has been corrected above.  It will be held on that date, unless a U.S. Government budget shutdown causes its last-minute cancellation.

(Click on any image for an enhanced view.)