\nThe weather wasn’t great, drizzly, but we decided to go to the Sakura Matsuri (cherry blossom festival) at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens anyway.
\nGetting there was pretty easy, a quick walk, a trip on the subway (to a very atractive subway station) and then a very short walk.
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\nThe gardens are lovely, very well laid out and full of lovely plantings. We were particularly taken with the sweeps of grape hyacinths. Reminded us of bluebells in a way. I think we may have to go back at the end of May to see the actual bluebells.
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\nMaria got a bit sentimental around the lilac trees, going on about how she was going to miss the lilacs back at home. Mind you they did smell lovely. So did the cherry blossom, I had to get pretty close to get a really good smell.
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\nThere were avenues of them. It looked beautiful, shame the weather wasn’t better.
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\nWe had a look around the exhibitions and demos, Maria was particularly interested in the Mataro Ningyo Dolls and the Ikebana Flower arranging.
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\nShe bought what looks like an origami crane but is in fact made from sugar.
\nWe also saw them rehearsing for the Taiko Drumming and quite fancied seeing the actual performance.
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\nThe problem was it was still raining and there wasn’t really anywhere to settle down for a while to wait, so we decided to call it a day and go up to Grand Central for their Spring Fair. Seemed like a simple enough trip, up the 2\/3 to Fulton Street then swop over to the 4\/5. The trouble is Fulton is an enormous station and after we had walked up several flights of stairs we found a man shouting that the no. 4 and 5 were not stopping at Fulton Street. We worked out an alternative route but the signposting on the NY subway is not the best, at one point there were signs for the same track pointing in 2 completely different directions (even on to 2 different levels).
\nWe reckon we walked up and down at least 6 flights of stairs before we found the right place. By the time we got to Grand Central we were shattered, still a quick sit down and some refreshment soon sorted us out.
\nThe Spring Fair was very interesting, Maria got a really nice leather bound sketch book, it took her ages to choose. And then John bought her a lovely handmade chenille jacket, in shades of red and russet. So she was a happy bunny.
\nWe also had a look around the market and their food looks fantastic, we bought some steak, veal, pancetta, parma ham, strawberries and chocolate cake.
\nWe thought it was time to get back. Of course this wasn’t easy, first the shuttle to Times Square (we had to walk so far we thought we might end up at Times Square without the benefit of a train) then the 1\/9 to Rector Street.
\nExcept that at Chambers Street we were told the train was diverting and if we wanted to go to Rector Street we had to take the shuttle bus provided. After all that we were grateful to get back to the appartment. Maria has been trying to work out how many flights of stairs she has walked up today, she reckons she’s done at least the equivalent of walking up to the appartment. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"