[Click on the picture for a photo gallery.]
On Saturday, Citrus and I went to the Parade of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. We had a hard time squeezing through the crowd, but ultimately found a good perch on the steps of the National Archives.
Several celebrities were in the parade, but I am now officially out of touch with today’s pop culture. As proof, I only recognized Kathy Sledge of Sister Sledge. Guess what she sang?
We also saw the US and Japan Queens of the Parade, as well as the Queen of Flowering Dogwood. Target had a very good corporate float, complete with an origami version of their mascot.
It was threatening to rain, so we dashed over the the Navy Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue for the 17th Annual Blessing of the Fleets. They had equipment from the SEALs and Seabees, and Citrus was able sit in the driver’s seat of an up-armored Humvee – she promptly looked for the stick shift and radio. It is sobering to see 200-lb steel-plated doors, but Citrus brought a pink balloon doggy inside which was a nice touch. It was tempting to try to find a place to stash it.
After a speech from the Navy’s Surgeon General and a blessing from the Navy’s Chief of Chaplains, we watched the ceremonial guard pour water from the Seven Seas and the Great Lakes to “charge” the Memorial’s fountains.
Passed down through generations of sailors, fishermen, merchant mariners and navies around the world, the centuries-old “Blessing of the Fleets” ceremony is intended to safeguard fishing crews and ships from the danger of the seas through a traditional blessing given by a clergyman at the water’s edge.
Citrus held up well through her nap time and enjoyed at least three different versions of “Anchors Aweigh,” including once on bagpipes. We finished the afternoon with some Navy Bean Soup and took the Metro home.
One Response to “Cherry Blossom Parade / Blessing of the Fleets”
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So what are we to make of “We Are Family” sung by only one of the sisters? Are the other siblings not family any longer?