Some sakura pictures for you

I was stopped by the cops - again.
They've stopped me a total of 11 times now.
They asked me for my ID.
It was in my other jacket.
I tried to explain that I was just popping out to take some photos of cherry blossoms in this small park I had seen from the train, near my home.
We talked for a while and I answered questions.
They took the registration number from my bicycle and relaised that it is

• registered in another prefecture
• not registered in my name

I explained again that it was a present from a teacher in my school and that it originally belonged to her uncle who died and was given it by her aunt. This was the eleventh time I've given this story and each time I realise how crazy it all sounds. Still, after taking them to my home and showing them my foreigner's ID card (all foreigners in Japan are required to carry one) and then answering a few more questions and talking about rugby (I'm from Wales and I was suprised that one of the police officers knew about my country and also that we liked rugby), they said goodbye.
A record. Only 30 minutes or so. The last time I was about 2 hours, sitting in the Shin Yokohama police box. Every time it's a real hassle but there's not much I can do.
The original papers have been lost. I never had them. Without them, I can't register the bicycle in my name. I refuse to buy a new one. Why should I have to? I didn't steal this bicycle. The bicycle is registered, just not to me. This is one instance where the law is a bit silly. They cannot arrest me for possessing a stolen bicycle or for riding an unregistered one. But they stop me anyway, eleven freaking times.
It's best not to irritate the cops over here, even though sometimes they act like total idiots (it took the cops in the Tamagawa bridge police box three attempts to read the number on my bike and even four times to read my telephone number off my mobile phone! I suppose English numbers are harder to read than Japanese ones (???).

Anyway, I was about to go to this park, so after the police left, I returned to the small park and I was very glad I did.
It was beautiful.
Here are a few shots I took as it was slowly getting dark. I will return in the morning.





Here is another shot of this gorgeous tree, really close to my home.
This tree reminds me of the Japanese animated cartoon, Tottorro. I feel like the tree and the surronding bamboo are magical. It all looks stunning. I think this old guy lives under the tree, all adding to the magic.



Here's one of another lovely sakura tree, near Hiyoshi station. Every year, I smile as I pass by this tree on my bicycle (the one that gets checked by the cops). The people who live in that house must smile every time they go to work in the morning. Lovely: