Cherry Blossom Tourist Hell

This is a post I started working on at the beginning of April, way before I got swamped with legal memos and exams. As y'all probably know, the cherry trees along the Tidal Basin here in DC were a gift from Japan and now there's a festival every year when they bloom. This means that for a couple of weeks each spring, the streets (and most annoyingly, the Metro) of DC are swamped with tourists. This is basically the St. John the Baptist of Tourist (and Intern) Season, announcing the way of the fanny packs and groups of kids all wearing the same shirts. Ihave no problem with tourism, as it's a major part of the local economy, and I want everyone to have fun in DC, but sometimes crowds can be intimidating. These pictures were taken on Easter Sunday, when a dear friend and I thought it'd be fun to stroll amongst the pretty blossoms.

The Bad:

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The Good:

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There was some type of pageant going on. This lady was from the Japanese embassy.

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Aren't those hair decorations precious?
The Slightly Amusing:

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If you look closely, you will see that walking on water at the Tidal Basin is strictly prohibited.