DC Cherry Blossoms - A Beautiful Sight

Today I had a meeting in the city that ended around 3:30. Considering that it is the peak viewing time for the DC cherry blossoms and I had just got a new lens for our camera, which is seriously becoming an expensive habit but worth it (see below), I decided to head down to the mall to see for myself. For Those that don't know about the cherry blossoms:

The National Cherry Blossom Festival annually commemorates the 1912 gift to the city of Washington of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to enhance the growing friendship between the United States and Japan and celebrate the continued close relationship between our two peoples.

For a small period of only 4-6 days the cherry blossoms, which litter the tidal basin and up the potomac river, are considered to be 'peak viewing'. Thousands of people visit each year and it makes travel in the city a nightmare. Let's just say I wasn't the only one with a camera down there.