cherry blossoms in the morning

This past weekend I finally got to visit the cherry blossoms in DC for the first time in maybe ten years, I can't really remember.  Originally we'd planned to go up early Saturday morning but ended up having to stay home instead to clean the house and things, but somehow got my Dad to agree to drive us downtown early Sunday morning.  We arrived in the city well before 8am but the Tidal Basin was already swarming...mostly with photographers, it seemed.  Huge digital kits, tripods, and at least one Hasselblad (I saw the guy setting up a portrait with it as we drove by...kinda wanted to be his friend) buzzing around everywhere...that early on a Sunday morning, and the morning after St. Patrick's Day, no less!  I got to traipse around with my new telephoto (which weighs a ton...my arm was actually sore the next day) and do a bit of playing, but there were so many people that I felt limited in the good shots I could get.  We explored the FDR memorial, which I'd never visited before and really enjoyed.  Then we drove around town looking for more photo ops, where we stopped for a few minutes at a small garden across from the US Botanical Gardens and then headed home.
I'm posting these photos late and quickly because I'm headed out of town for the weekend to fill up more film and memory cards.  Now I must pack my bags!