This year the concept of hanami (花見) seems to have found its place in the speech of the non Japanese speaking masses too.
I don't mean to say it's negative: the reason is so much rooted in the bad news of the past month to be completely happy about it, but generally I am glad when something concerning beauty and nature becomes more accessible to everybody.
Originally the term refers to the cherry blossom viewing (and the cherry blossom being a symbol for a beauty that has to end which better metaphor for Japan?), but hanami literally means "flower viewing".
And I had my share, too.
Yesterday I was at the "Cherry Blossom Festival" in Marzahn, at the Gardens of the World. Marzahn is still part of the city of Berlin, but from our place is sort of an eternity away - more than an hour by public transportation.
Needless to say, it was totally worth the long train ride!I decided not to take pictures of cherry trees, though.
Not only flowers...
