When I cycle around on my bike in the city where I currently live, my current home, The Hague, I come across a lot. From the nonsense on the road of people who do not realise that they are driving the wrong way on the cycle path to drivers who are in a little too much of a hurry and get you almost knocked over. In between, there are also beautiful things to see in the city, such as the many tourist spots and the beach. When spring begins, all the things that are colourless comes back to life after a long hibernation. The environment is becoming greener and some trees make blossoms appear.
Again I did not manage to be in Japan during the Spring period this year. Unfortunately no hanami in a park in Tokyo, but I can also go to the Amsterdam Forest to see the 400 Japanese cherry blossoms that have been donated by Japan’s Women Club from Amstelveen years ago. But often I do not manage to head towards the forest when the Spring begins, because, in terms of the various events and the preparations for them, that is about to start in this period. This means that I often stay in the big city behind the dunes instead of taking a rest and going to the Cherry Blossom Park. But luckily there is plenty to find in terms of blossoms in The Hague. In certain neighbourhoods, there are streets filled with cherry trees. Once I see them again, I can enjoy them immensely and I am not so upset anymore that I am not in Japan this year again. Maybe I should just plan ahead later this year?
The various trees filled with blossoms actually remind me of the trees that could be found in the street where I grew up. This street consisted of two squares with lawns in the middle. There were a number of small trees on it. In those days we, the children from the street, were not allowed to go to the lawns, for fear that something would get destroyed. A hedge of trees was eventually placed around it to protect the grass field. And the interesting thing was that what you were not allowed at one of those lawns, at the other one people were more forgiving. But a picknick was never really possible. Nowadays, the local residents of that street are more likely to be in these small gardens. The peculiarity of these squares were the trees that fully blossomed in the Spring period. The pink blossoms signalled the start of the beautiful weather and when the blossoms fell to the ground, I gathered the blossoms together to throw it back in the air. It’s nice to be able to remember such wonderful things in connection with Spring. I am happy that Spring has started again!
