Sakura Matsuri

I took the 2 train today to Brooklyn to see the Sakura Matsuri 24th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. It was overcast and a bit cold when I left Manhattan after lunch but by the time I emerged from the Eastern Parkway subway station in Brooklyn, the sun was shining brightly and it had warmed up considerably.

My friend and I waited in line for about 10 minutes before entering verdant territory. What a pleasant change from the grimy streets of Manhattan. Everything in the garden was so beautiful to look and we went a bit photo crazy.

I'm sure that walking through the Cherry Esplanade would have been heavenly early in the morning before the crowds arrived in full force. It was the peak of rush hour by the time we landed up so we had to navigate through many families with strollers and various groups of tourists to get decent pictures. We were totally floored by the blossoming of the cherry trees that are planted in two rows opposite each other. The million shades of pink were just spectacular. No wonder then that everybody, from those like me with simple digicams to professionals with their heavy duty cameras, was angling to get the perfect picture.

Here are some of my favourite shots from today:

The Cherry Esplanade


Fun with shadows


A bed of fallen leaves


Japanese Hill-And-Pond Garden


A gorgeous fish in the pond