Cherry Blossom Fever

This weekend marks the first week of celebrations for the 2018 Cherry Blossom Festival.

It turns out that San Francisco's Japantown was one of the largest Japanese settlement outside of Japan by the time of WW2. Also known as "Nihonmachi", this neighborhood SF is one of only three officially recognized Japantowns left in the USA. In their heyday, there used to be somewhere around 43 of these settlements throughout the country but the aftermath of WW2 left communities dwindling.  

But on a might brighter note, Japantown San Francisco is thriving. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival attracts people from all over the Bay Area. Music & theatre performances, street markets & food make it a killer way to spend the day. These pics were taken of the local Taiko Dojo (Japanese Drum School) cranking out some incredible shows.

El Escorial

I love living in the US for so many reasons. But sometimes, I miss being surrounded by places steep in history. 

We have a giggle every now and then when we go to museums here, because they'll often have exhibits of European (mostly Italian, Spanish & French) furniture that is just on 200 years old and idolize it. It's a young country, like Australia is too, so connections to the late past are more mythical and elusive.

This is a series of pictures I took a couple of years ago in El Escorial, just outside of Madrid. This place is a beautiful, historical landmark for sure. But for my family it has more everyday significance - it's the place my dad went to school & the place my grandfather worked for many years of his life. For a little while there, there was talk that I'd go to school there too. 

Enjoy the quick photo tour!