| Washington, DC is always a terrific place to visit. But | | | | me the most; it was the Cherry Blossoms themselves. |
| the city will offer two big bonuses in early April, the | | | | When I moved back to Baltimore in 1988 after having |
| Cherry Blossom Festival and the blooming Cherry | | | | lived in New York for several years, I made up my |
| Blossoms themselves. | | | | mind to see the cherry blossoms. But that's not as |
| I grew up in Baltimore. It's an hour away from DC but | | | | easy as it sounds. You see, when the Cherry |
| worlds apart in terms of look and personality. As a kid, | | | | Blossoms bloom does not always coincide with the |
| I took many day trips with my family to Washington. | | | | Festival; it depends on the weather. So every |
| We visited all the landmarks, the U.S. Capitol, the | | | | weekend for several weeks one Spring, I tuned to the |
| Washington Monument, the Smithsonian, the U.S. Mint, | | | | all-news radio station in Washington for an update on |
| the Washington Zoo and others. Even back then, I | | | | the blooming. |
| loved the atmosphere in the nation's capital. | | | | In March, 1990, I heard on the radio station that the |
| I attended the University of Maryland in College Park, | | | | Blossoms were in bloom. That Sunday, I made the |
| immediately outside of Washington. During those years, | | | | short car trip to Washington and was not disappointed. |
| I saw more of DC, and liked what I saw, especially the | | | | The sun was shining and the sky was blue. I walked |
| elegance of Northwest Washington, home of the | | | | through the slightly-chilly air and marveled at the |
| Washington Cathedral, Embassy Row, Rock Creek | | | | explosion of color and at the other visitors, many of |
| Park and beautiful neighborhoods. It was during this | | | | whom were foreign. The sight conveyed the feeling |
| time that I first visited Georgetown, getting a taste of | | | | that Spring had arrived. |
| DC nightlife. | | | | The Cherry Blossoms surround the Tidal Basin and |
| After graduation, when I moved back to Baltimore, | | | | continue south along the edge of East Potomac Park. |
| visiting Washington was a regular part of my activities. | | | | The Tidal Basin is a small body of water near the |
| I would frequently visit the city on weekends and | | | | Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Jefferson |
| make an annual shopping trip to one of its better malls. | | | | Memorial. The Yoshino Cherry trees were a gift from |
| DC has traditionally offered higher-end retailers than | | | | Japan in 1912. |
| Baltimore. Every year between Christmas and New | | | | The good news is this year, the blooms and the |
| Years, I would take the train to Washington and spend | | | | Cherry Blossom Festival are expected to coincide. |
| the day at a couple of my favorite museums, such as | | | | The Festival, which features fireworks, concerts, |
| the Air & Space Museum and the National Gallery of | | | | special art exhibits, cherry blossom tours and other |
| Art. In my early work years, I also started sampling the | | | | events all over town, will take place from March 27 to |
| fare at some of DC's finer restaurants. | | | | April 11. The predicted blooming dates are March 31 |
| I had never, however, attended one of Washington's | | | | through April 11, with the peak blooming period |
| best and most famous events, the Cherry Blossom | | | | happening from April 3 to April 8. |
| Festival. The Festival itself was not what interested | | | | |