Back in Bloom

It occurred to me today that I have not posted anything on this wonderful little blog for like a million years. So, I thought I would share some pictures of the recent Cherry Blossoms blooming here in DC that I took a week or two ago. 

I went down to see the Cherry Blossoms twice, but the first time the buds weren't even open yet! It shouldn't be surprising, I guess, considering how late spring came to the DC area this year. 

But a few days later it was over 90 degrees outside and rumor was the Cherry Blossoms were finally open. So after class I grabbed my camera and headed down to the National Mall. 

Sure enough the scene was much different than just a few days earlier. 

Once the Cherry Blossoms bloom, the flowers will only remain on the trees for about a week or two. 

Locals and visitors from near and far turn out in droves to enjoy the beauty from the Cherry Blossoms. 

DC holds the annual Cherry Blossom Festival each year to celebrate the flowers. 

Although most of the flowers were in bloom, some had still not opened yet. 

My personal opinion is that late afternoon or early evening is the best time to view the flowers. The lighting as the sun sets is really beautiful!

Most of the trees are located around the Tidal Basin, stretching from the Jefferson Memorial, through the FDR Memorial (pictured above) and the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. However, there are also a few to the side of the Washington Monument.

Different varieties of Cherry Blossom trees have varying shades of flowers. 

Until next year, Cherry Blossoms. 

June 8: Hiking at Delaware State Park

This week Dandrich and I went for a hike over at Delaware State Park. Even though it was hot, it was a great way to spend an afternoon. The best part is it lets you work out and exercise while doing something kind of different. It makes it seem more like an adventure than exercise!

If you stop at one of the little information stations you can get a map with all the trails marked on it which can be pretty helpful.  We took a trail that ran from the campground area to the marina. It seems like most of the trails at Delaware originate near the campground area.

At the marina there was another information station that also sold hot sandwiches so we got some hot dogs and onion rings to refuel for the return trip. The food there was better than I thought it would be. Near the marina there is also a frisbee-golf range that seemed pretty cool. The information/food stand also conveniently sells frisbees in case you don't have any with you.

Overall the trail was not too difficult. It was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. I will say it's probably a good idea to either wear jeans and long sleeves or soak yourself in bug spray first. We didn't do either and returned home covered in huge mosquito bites.

Dec. 25: Kenting National Park and Kaohsuing

Our first stop after leaving the beautiful beach-side hotel was Kenting National Park. It has the distinction of being Taiwan's first national park. Two main trails wind through the park which hosts an array of tropical plants not found in other parts of Taiwan. The trails wind up and down mountains so the hike was a little difficult at first.

An interesting aspect of the park is that you are able to see ancient coral reef that at one point was submerged in the ocean before Taiwan became an island. Although you can see this in over place around Kenting, it is most surprising to find so much in the park since you are at a much higher altitude.

At one point we stumbled upon a cave you could walk through. This was all well and good until Dandrich discovered a bat hanging on the wall of the cave. Even though bats are supposed to be a good omen in Chinese culture, I got the hell out after that. We ate lunch at a little cafeteria on a view tower they built on top of one of the mountains. It had a great view.

In the cave during a happier time before the bat was discovered, though as you can see, I was still somewhat leery. 

We then made our way to Kaohsuing which is Taiwan's second biggest city. It is a major industrial center as well since it is Taiwan's largest port. After taking a quick rest at the hotel, we ate a delicious seafood dinner consisting of crab, sashimi, and steamed fish. The catch here was so fresh compared to any other seafood I've had before. I never really liked seafood before but everything is so fresh in Taiwan none of the seafood here has that 'fishy' taste that it does back in Ohio. 

In the evening, we visited the Liouhe Tourist Night Market. Night markets in Taiwan are a big deal. Vendors sell everything imaginable; food, clothes, jewelry, fresh fruit, and more. We ate even more food here. I had freshly made strawberry juice and pork dumplings. One of Taiwan's more exotic foods can be found in abundance here - stinky tofu which smells literally like shit. I have not yet had the courage to try it.