Cherry Blossom Festival : Part Two

It's Friday afternoon.

I have fifteen minutes left of work.

The weather is gray and gloomy.

Who am I kidding? I am not going to get anything done!

Instead: here is my final cherry blossom festival blog! (Don't sigh with relief! How can you get sick of cherry blossoms?!)

Last Sunday, my sweet guy, T (a story for another time, perhaps), took me to the biggest cherry blossom festival in Okinawa, The Nago Cherry Blossom Festival.

Apparently, this event takes place in many locations and there is some sort of festival, but T and I just checked out the main festival at Nago central park.

There were, of course, enough cherry blossoms to attract a small army of bees, but they didn't bother us at all.

There were also numerous concessions stands (YAY more festival food)

and some game booths. T played the dart-balloon game and won me the Care Bear blanket I had been eyeing. :)

Then wore it as a cape.

At the Nago Festival, the cherry trees are planted so that they scale up a hill.

It created a lovely effect, and hundreds of people climbed up and down the stairs on this hill taking in the lovely view.

T and I joined the swarm of people climbing, and about half way up, I started to regret my shoe choice. Heels are not recommended.

We made the most of the day, though, despite my aching toes and our mutual exhaustion. We even hiked past the main staircase and up through the jungley part of the hill.

T loves to explore.

As the afternoon wore on, the heat grew more oppressive despite the clouds, and my toes started to loose feeling, we settled down on a bench for a refreshing treat:

Sakura Ice Cream. Mmmmm

{oops. I just published this post without finishing it. Sorry blog-email-readers!}

At the end of the day we settled under these trees for a photo or two.

We smiled happily, at first, but this is how we really felt:

Even I can only take so much cherry blossom viewing. We both should have gotten more sleep first.

All in all, it was a lovely day, and I am glad we went. :)

Aaah! Work has been over for fifteen minutes!

See what you made me do. :)

Sorry this isn't as put together or articulate as I usually try to make my blogs,

but it will have to do.

Let the weekend begin!