Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens

Florian and I are always on the lookout for places to take the dogs that are close to home, but still beautiful and remote-feeling. When we have a day on which neither of us is working or spending time with my dad--or the family plans are not til later in the day, so we have a few hours for ourselves and the dogs--it is great to be able to take just a short drive and end up in a place that's green, peaceful, silent, and dog-friendly, despite its proximity to DC.

One such place we visited perhaps in our first year of dating, but not since, is Kenilworth Park Aquatic Gardens.


This is a sanctuary built around the wetlands of the Anacostia River. 


The Anacostia runs through Northeast DC and has not always been well cared for, and it still has its desolate, polluted stretches.  











But this part has been transformed into an oasis for a poor section of DC, with trails through the woods, ponds with abundant wildlife, and raised boardwalks through wetlands filled with blooming water lilies. 

First we took a trail through the trees, where we saw almost no one. 


Just a green trail in the steamy silence, past ponds with turtles and fishies and lots of frogs. I could have walked on that trail all day, as Fozzie was happily sniffing along and there were no other dogs, and if you're going to live in a place where every moment of the summer feels like you are living in a swamp, you might as well actually be in a swamp where you can enjoy the wildlife and the flowers.

Although when we encountered an enormous black snake in the middle of the trail, that was enough wildlife for Florian who promptly turned around and ran in the direction from whence we'd come.

Time to check out the water gardens.


A more well-traveled part of the park, but still no other dogs so we were at leisure to check out the lilies

and other aquatic flora. 

So pretty!


A restful walk and a good workout for Fozzie, and still plenty of time for the humans to get in some Fozzie-free recreation. 

Off to my aunt's, where Charlie is getting a bit less nervous and seems happy in his new home


 











That's the spirit Charlie, I'd bark at that guy in the multiple plastic floatie rings too. 

Maybe you can get him to behave himself; the rest of us have certainly had no luck. 

2 comments:

  1. BOL! If that was us, we'd totally jump on top of him! BOL!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful! I'm always on the lookout for new places to take my dogs too:)

    ReplyDelete

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