Sorry about the tardiness. I was busy viewing!
This year is exceptional for two reasons. It was the latest full bloom that I have ever seen. Full bloom probably will be tomorrow, the last day of the Cherry Blossom festival, due to the cold winter and beginning of spring. Since that was the case, full bloom hit during the time when all of the festival activities are going on and today it was absolutely packed with people down on the Mall.
The funny thing with this year's cherry blossoms is that it is the first year that the World War II memorial is open during the viewing. The WWII memorial is smack dab in the middle of the mall. You can hardly avoid it. But there was a surprising lack of Japanese tourists in that area.
The Phillipino tourists and immigrants from the Phillipines always like to get their picture taken at the Phillipines' "state" wreath at the WWII memorial. Always interesting to see, remembering that the Phillipines was part of the US at the time.
It was a good mix of folks on the Mall. Lots of Asians other than Japanese, including Indians and Chinese (are cherry blossoms popular in these countries as well?). There was even a woman in a full length covering with only an eyeslit.
In addition to the tourists, there was a college rugby football tourney. Rugby's such a great game. 
This year is exceptional for two reasons. It was the latest full bloom that I have ever seen. Full bloom probably will be tomorrow, the last day of the Cherry Blossom festival, due to the cold winter and beginning of spring. Since that was the case, full bloom hit during the time when all of the festival activities are going on and today it was absolutely packed with people down on the Mall.
The funny thing with this year's cherry blossoms is that it is the first year that the World War II memorial is open during the viewing. The WWII memorial is smack dab in the middle of the mall. You can hardly avoid it. But there was a surprising lack of Japanese tourists in that area.


It was a good mix of folks on the Mall. Lots of Asians other than Japanese, including Indians and Chinese (are cherry blossoms popular in these countries as well?). There was even a woman in a full length covering with only an eyeslit.


Pedestrians take in the Cherry Blossoms along the Tidal Basin Friday, April 8, 2005, in Washington. U.S. Park Service predict the trees will be in full bloom this weekend.(AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)
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