Dumbarten Oaks

Who knew this place even existed?  I had read about Dumbarten Oaks and have wanted to go there since I discovered the gardens are free to tour in the fall and winter.  Finally, this past Saturday we actually went and I was amazed that such a place could hide, tucked back in the Georgetown neighborhood.  The estate consists of hundreds of acres which, in the middle of DC, makes it a novelty alone.  Walking around the “Byzantine” gardens with their fountains, swimming pool, terraced levels, and gazing out into the distance without a single building cluttering up the landscape, a person can feel miles away from the city– a little bit like Alice in Wonderland.  But walk out the front gate, leave the garden walls, and there’s Georgetown, crowded and bustling as always.  The pictures are stock ones as I didn’t expect to be so impressed and forgot my camera at home.  I plan to take a friend’s family photos here though, so I should be able to post more soon.