El Parque del Retiro

I previously heard people talk about Parque del Retiro in Madrid, but on my first visit (when it was 30 degrees and snowing), I didn't even come close to seeing it. So on my second, and much better trip to Madrid, I made sure to stop by. I was expecting a large park, with a lot of trails and greenery, but what I got was this amazing mix of beautiful landscaping, elaborate statues, and the cutest little pond with dozens of rowboats full of people enjoying a beautiful, romantic afternoon.

Shots Around the Prado

As I continued my walk from Puerta del Sol to El Parque Retiro, I passed the famous museum El Prado. The Prado is the main Spanish national art museum and features an immense collection of European, and specifically Spanish art. Unfortunately, we tried to go on a Monday, and were disappointed to find out that the Prado is closed on Mondays :( But, I still got some pretty cool pictures of the statues and architecture around the Prado. 

Your First Impression Is Not Always the Right Impression

The first time I was in Madrid, I was not impressed. It was the middle of January, about 30 degrees outside, snowing, AND I was sick. Needless to say, I was not in the best mood to sight-see, and deal with the millions of residents and tourists of Madrid. But, just like everything else in life, your first impression is not always the right impression.

This past Halloween, my second trip to Madrid, was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. The weather was nice, I had great company (heyyy Tina), and I was able to explore Madrid at my own pace. The first time I was there I didn't even notice how beautiful Madrid actually is; The architecture is extraordinary!

Here are a few pictures of my walk from Puerta del Sol, the center of Madrid, to El Parque del Retiro, kind of like Central Park in New York.

Me and my friend Tina. 

Comida de Madrid

Tour of Madrid

The hostel where we stayed in Madrid offered a "free" walking tour so of course we decided to take advantage. I say "free" because although there was no fee, the guide was begging for tips before the tour even started. Nevertheless, it was a really nice tour and we got to see a lot of the major sites in the center of Madrid. 

 The osita (female bear), which according to our guide is like the "Statue of Liberty of Spain."

 Opera House

 Palacio Real, Royal Palace

 Spiderman, lol

Plaza Mayor

Scenes from El Rastro

 El Rastro is a huge open air flea market that happens every Sunday morning in Madrid. There are hundreds of vendors selling anything and everything you can think of, and El Rastro literally occupies a few city blocks. This was my first time going and I was impressed by the size of the market, and the amount of people who came to shop.

This random apartment I saw on the way to El Rastro. Yes, that is a mannequin. 

Look closely at the brand name.

The streets llena de gente.