Parque del Retiro – Mi favorita lugare en Madrid!
Hola chicos!
Without a doubt my favourite place in Madrid is the Parque del Retiro. It is my lungs of Madrid, the place I feel able to breath with ease. Visiting the Retiro is how I survive in a big European city when I come from a farm in Australia. Almost everyday the Retiro and her beautiful trees summon me, so I do feel that I have become very familiar with her.
We arrived in Madrid in early January, just before the really cold days and snow. The Parque del Retiro was a sombre place then, the trees were bare of leaves, the park streets were free of locals except the hard core joggers and a few tourists wandered here and there. Since then I have observed the Retiro transform herself into a beautiful forest and with the help of an army of workers, her gardens have bloomed as Spring has moved towards summer.
The googlenet machine tells me that the Parque has an area of 118 hectares and more than 19 000 trees. Which explains why, like me, Madridlenos are drawn to the park in the warmer months, seeking her deep shade and an outdoor place to exercise. I sit and watch as people walk dogs, jog, ride bicycles, skateboard, rollerskate and rollerblade. Rollerblading is still a thing in Madrid and on a daily basis there are classes and tuition for all ages. Initially we found this funny as rollerblading went out of fashion in Australia sometime in the 80’s or 90’s. There is tai chi, yoga and exercise classes for the elderly. Exercise equipment has been installed for all ages and abilities too. From children’s play equipment to equipment for gym junkies and even for the elderly to improve balance and coordination. Most people however, wander along, like me, enjoying the beauty of the place. Dogs are everywhere, but I have never seen an aggressive dog and for a city that has a huge homeless problem, I have never seen a homeless person in the parque.
The Retiro has a number of gardens within the parque itself and my favourites are La Rosaleda with its beautiful roses, The Jardines de Cecilio Rodriguez with its amazing peacocks that wander around freely, and the Parterre jardin with its sculptured trees that look like something from a scene out of Alice in Wonderland or a page from a Dr Seuss book.
And if all of this beauty has not convinced you to visit, there are a multitude of statues including one of the few statues in the world to the fallen angel of Lucifer the devil. The Palacio de Cristal or Crystal palace is definitely worth a visit and of course in the heart of the Retiro is the lake where you can hire row boats.
Did I mention that it is free to enter? So take some time out from your day, wander around and enjoy the beautiful Parque del Retiro you will not be disappointed.
Hasta Luego chicos y mil besos!
P.s I forgot to mention the buskers or retired musicians who play music for enjoyment and a few Euros.