Visiting the Cherry Blossoms - A Fieldtrip at Work

This year is the centennial celebration of the cherry blossom trees in DC! Every year, the city hosts the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and this year is extra special as it’s been 100 years since the trees were gifted to us by Japan. For more information about the history of the trees and the festival, visit the website.

 

Yesterday, my team members at work and I decided to take a lunchtime trip over to see the trees along the Tidal Basin. A picnic lunch sounded like the perfect way to enjoy the beautiful trees! It took us about 20 minutes to walk from our office to the main area where the trees are, and then we found a nice open spot and sat down to eat. One of my coworkers used my boss’s new camera to take some gorgeous pictures! Even though it was a grey, overcast day, he still managed to take some awesome photos.

 

I am lucky enough to work at the same company as my best friend, and we snuck in a little photo shoot before heading back to the office – these pictures are such a great example of our true relationship. 

We did get in a cute one though - might have to frame this one for my desk!

It’s starting to be “tourist season” in DC, and the streets were absolutely packed with visitors. The trees peaked early this year (the weather has been wacky, and it had its effect on the trees), but that doesn’t seem to have phased the zillions of people who travel here to see the pretty trees and the Nation’s Capital. I forget how great it is to work in the city and live so close some times, and that I have so much history right at my fingertips. I’m going to make it my goal this year to be patient with the tourists – it’s hard sometimes! It’s easy to forget that not everyone knows their way around the city, and that they just want to have the best time they can. We should all try to be welcoming hosts!

My team and I enjoyed our little fieldtrip, and it was so great to get out and get some fresh air during the workday. I think we are going to try to plan more adventures for this spring – this one was such a success, we will definitely have to do it again!