Look -- no blue plastic sheets
This is where I studied Japanese -- the University of Washington. I took my family there today and, perfect timing, the cherry blossoms in the Quad were in full bloom. The classical buildings, the rich green lawn, the quaint brick pathways all make for a beautiful setting for the sakura trees, which were imported from Japan. There are probably settings in Japan as beautiful, but Hanami (flower viewing) is so much nicer here. In Japan, people put out hideous blue plastic sheets and hold loud drunken parties complete with obnoxious karaoke. It's called "hana yori dango" (more the party than the blossoms). Here you can actually enjoy the blossoms!
ここは私が日本語を習った所です：ワシントン大学です。桜がちょうど満開でした。そして、日本の花見と違って、目に激しいブルーシートが無い！
