Fort Worth Water Gardens

While my parents were in town this past weekend, we discovered more of downtown Fort Worth.  We had driven and walked through Sundance Square in downtown several times now.  My parents enjoyed the shops and restaurants that fill Sundance Square, but we suggested walking a little further to check out the Fort Worth Water Gardens.  I didn't know anything about them other than having driven by the entrance sign.

We approached the familiar entrance sign and entered into a different world created by two New York architects in 1974.  The garden has four focal points that play off of each other.  We began at the quiet pool, a sunken area surrounded by cypress trees.  While by the pool (that you are not allowed to swim in), all you can hear is the sound of water trickling down the surrounding walls.  There is a feeling of peacefulness when surrounded by the sounds of water.  From the quiet pool, we walked by the mountain, a mound of steep, 20 inch steps.  The information sign said that the mountain is meant for perching rather than sitting or lounging.  We followed the path to the active pool, which gives the opposite feeling to that of the quiet pool.  The active pool is a gorge with loud waterfalls from all sides.  While the quiet pool gives a sense of calm, the active pool gives the feeling of rapids and adventure.  There is a path that winds itself to the center of the active pool and allows you to be completely surrounded.  The last water display is the aerated pool, which is supposed to give the illusion of being able to walk on water.  Hubby and I weren't fooled, but the bursting fountains were quite beautiful.

This is the sign you can see as you drive by.  I've been curious about it since we first got to Fort Worth.

 The quiet pool from above... an oasis in downtown.

 The walls that surround the quiet pool have water trickling down them.

The active pool is loud as waterfalls come from all sides.  The steps going down to the center looking intriguing but dangerous.

The aerated pool bursts to life, but I am not tempted to walk on water.

The Fort Worth Water Gardens are a cool relief from the concrete heat of the summer time.

It was so cool discovering a new part of Fort Worth.  We also found out that the portion of downtown where the Water Gardens are located used to be called Hell's Half Acre because of the saloons and activity of cowboys and outlaws in the late 1800s.  Hubby said that Fort Worth must have been the Las Vegas of the old West.  It was an interesting place then and continues to be now, though not quite so scandalous.

I got this cool app called Halftone with Starbucks' app pick of the week.  It makes pictures look like comic strips, and, of course, Maui is my muse.