This year marks the 5th Cherry Blossom Festival that I will have completely missed. It's not that I don't think the Cherry Blossoms are beautiful--because, I do--I just have a serious aversion to tourists with their cameras and fanny packs and children on leashes. They crowd the metro and walk slowly and love those stupid "FBI" t-shirts that are going to totally shrink the first time they wash them. I prefer to watch the blossoms on the 11 o'clock news and particularly enjoy reading all about the festival in the Post.
My favorite article, so far, discusses the increasing need for Japanese speaking tour guides or "ambassadors" to help orient (
*wink) the growing influx of Japanese tourists to the festivities. In a paragraph describing a distinguished group of guides, the Post notes how far their Japanese language skills could someday take them:
"...the Cherry Blossom Goodwill Ambassadors, six young women in blossom-pink,
tailored wool blazers and pumps, plus one young man (who doesn't have to wear
pink). They will be at all the festival events. Ranging from students to
government workers, they say their Japanese language skills give them
aspirations to someday be ambassadors or karaoke bar owners."
It's good to see that these kids are keeping their options open. You know, in case that ambassador gig doesn't work out...
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