Day 6: Parque del Retiro

Bad news for today, Raf and Tim are home bound with flu like symptoms. Fortunately, I'm still feeling ok but a little tired. So I took the day to myself and went to the Parque de Retiro. This park is as much as a Madrid tradition as outdoor cafes. By the looks of it on the map, it dwarfs the Palace and surrounding gardens, also it appears to have some sort of large lake. Being the outdoor nerd that I am, I was pretty excited... I'll let the pictures speak for themselves, but I just wanted to add that I felt like I got the best of the Madrid and Spanish culture at this place. Street performers, people playing soccer, and a massive drum circle were just a few of the sights. I had a cigar, walked around, took pictures, and used my first Spanish line on a girl, fortunately, she was Swedish and understood English as well so I didn't look like a total fool. Bailas?







Here is a video of the drum circle.









Bear in mind this park is absolutely free, all time time. I'd say it rivals or bests Atlanta Botanical Gardens. One of my favorite stops thus far...