A Stroll Through 'Japan'

This past weekend one of the parks here was hosting a Cherry Blossom Festival, however because we weren't feeling very well, we didn't get to attend. Fortunately, my friend, Yasuko, asked me if I would like to see the blossoms this afternoon with her and her son, Yuki. This was the very first time at the park and even though it was a little out of our way to get there, it was definitely worth it! Along with the cherry blossoms, the park also featured an authentic Japanese garden which was absolutely beautiful!!! Walking through the garden was breathtaking. There were so many beautiful things to look at and it gave me a sense of what the real Japanese gardens are like in Japan. It was also very nice to experience them with my good friend who helped explain some of the things in the garden that are native to her country. From the Japanese garden, we then went into the cherry blossom orchard which was incredible. The blooms were just perfect and Yasuko was saying that we definitely picked a good time to view them because the blossoms might not have lasted through until the weekend depending on the weather. She told me that in Japan they report on the news every night the % of how much the trees are in blossom. After our stroll through the lovely orchard, the boys found a playground in the park. They played for awhile, however they soon found another way to have some fun. I think the photo below says it all...it's too bad they can't read signs. LOL Overall, a totally awesome afternoon! We enjoyed every bit of it!