Mike's Cherry Blossoms Festival 2005 Photos


On Saturday, April 9th, 2005, I joined thousands of other people and made the journey into DC for the 2005 National Cherry Blossom Festival. It was a great spring day to be outside, and the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. For more information on the Cherry Blossom Festival, visit their website at
http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/.

I rode the Metro and got off at the Smithsonian Metro Station. The first thing I noticed was how many people were enjoying the nice weather on the Mall.

Photo on the Mall looking towards the Capitol

People on the Mall with the National Capitol Building in the background

Photo on the Mall

A mom with a stroller getting ready to fly a kite

My plans for the day were to walk around the Tidal Basin and stop by the FDR and Jefferson Memorials. I started walking west towards the Washington Monument and the Tidal Basin.

I got my first view of cherry blossoms around the Washington Monument. I also was able to see the Jefferson Memorial through the cherry blossoms on the opposite side of the Tidal Basin. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom.

The Washington Monument

The Washington Monument

The Jefferson Memorial

The Jefferson Memorial seen through the cherry blossoms.

As I walked towards the Tidal Basin, I found myself at the National Park Service’s Tulip Library. I briefly stopped to view the tulips. Only a few varieties were blooming, but it was still a beautiful site.

Tulips

Some of the tulips blooming in the Tulip Library

Tidal Basin

The canopy of cherry blossoms surrounding the Tidal Basin

Crowds of visitors

Crowds of people along the edge of the Tidal Basin enjoying the cherry blossoms and people taking boat rides through the Tidal Basin

Tidal Basin

Another view of the cherry blossoms surrounding the Tidal Basin

I realized that I was close to the National World War II Memorial. (http://www.wwiimemorial.com/). I decided to visit it before walking around the Tidal Basin. The Memorial opened to the public in April 2004, and this was my first chance to see the completed memorial. I wasn’t the only person who took the opportunity to visit the memorial. The memorial is located between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.

The National World War II Memorial has both Atlantic and Pacific pavilions, they represent the fact that the war was fought across both oceans. The memorial also has a pillar for each of the U. S. states, territories, and the District of Columbia. One side of the memorial has a Freedom Wall with 4,000 gold stars that commemorate the more than 400,000 Americans who gave their lives in the war.

World War II Memorial

A crowd of people by the National World War II Memorial Visitor Center

World War II Memorial

The fountains in the National World War II Memorial

World War II Memorial

A crowd of people visiting the National World War II Memorial

The Washington Monument

The Washington Monument in the distance behind the National World War II Memorial

World War II Memorial

The Pacific pavilion of the National World War II Memorial

World War II Memorial

The Freedom Wall

Lincoln Memorial

View of the Lincoln Memorial from the National World War II Memorial

After viewing the National World War II Memorial, I could have continued walking west towards the Lincoln Memorial, but I had visited it last year, and my intentions were to walk around the Tidal Basin. There were thousands of people around the Tidal Basin.

Tidal Basin

Crowd of people waiting to cross the street after viewing the cherry blossoms

Japanese stone lantern

The 350-year old Japanese stone lantern

Tidal Basin

Another view of the white canopy created by the cherry blossoms

I continued my walk around the Tidal Basin. I stopped at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (http://www.nps.gov/fdrm/). This was my first time visiting the memorial. The memorial is located along the western edge of the Tidal Basin. The memorial has several rooms and scenes.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Statue of FDR in a wheelchair in the first room

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

First room of the FDR Memorial

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Statue representing the “Breadline” in the second room of the FDR Memorial

Washington Monument

View of the Washington Monument from the FDR Memorial

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Statue representing the “Fireside Chat” in the second room of the FDR Memorial

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

One of the many waterfalls in the FDR Memorial

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Mural of faces in the FDR Memorial

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Another waterfall in the FDR Memorial

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Statue of FDR and his dog in the third room of the FDR Memorial

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Statue of Eleanor Roosevelt in the fourth room of the FDR Memorial

After viewing all of the room of the FDR Memorial, I continued my way around the Tidal Basin towards the Jefferson Memorial.

Jefferson Memorial

The Jefferson Memorial as seen from the FDR Memorial

U.S. Capitol Building

The U.S. Capitol Building as seen from the Tidal Basin

Jefferson Memorial

Another view of the Jefferson Memorial from the edge of the Tidal Basin

Before going into the Jefferson Memorial, I stopped at the George Mason Memorial (http://www.nps.gov/gemm/). The George Mason Memorial, located in East Potomac Park behind the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. It commemorates the contributions of George Mason who was the author of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which served as an inspiration to Thomas Jefferson while writing the Declaration of Independence. The memorial is still fairly new having been dedicated in 2002.

Statue of George Mason

Statue of George Mason

Finally, I arrived at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial (http://www.nps.gov/thje/).

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

View of the backside of the Jefferson Memorial

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Statue of Thomas Jefferson inside the Jefferson Memorial

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

Inside the Jefferson Memorial

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

The front of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial