Photography | Spain | Slow Travel
An Afternoon in El Retiro Park
Captures on a Sunday walk
Though the temperatures in Madrid are not where I’d like them to be, my favorite season has commenced, and I couldn’t help but venture outside for a longer walk this past Sunday.
El Retiro Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — seemed like the perfect destination to do that.
The many trees in the park offered just enough shade in order to make the long walk enjoyable, and I loved getting lost in the more densely planted sections of the park. If I didn’t have my 4-year-old nephew with me, I’d have plopped myself on a bench and read for hours under the cover of trees.
My favorite trees in El Retiro, found in other parks in Madrid as well, are the ones in the photo above but I’ve yet to figure out what they are. If anyone knows what the name in English is, let me know!
Looking up is a must when in their presence.
In addition to trees, El Retiro boasts quite a few gardens, one of which is the Rosaleda (rose garden). Peak rose season is long gone, but I was surprised to find quite a few rose bushes on my walk this weekend. It may have to do with the fact that it definitely doesn’t feel like fall yet.
In one of the few fountains in the rose garden, I also spotted a water lily that seemed to be playing peek-a-boo with the people strolling about. My nephew certainly thought so!
Not far from the Rosaleda, I passed by the statue of the Fallen Angel, the only one in the world dedicated to its subject, and which — as I found out eavesdropping on a tour group — happens to stand exactly 666 meters above sea level. I may need to research it a bit to learn about how it came to be.
The Glass Palace was another curious encounter on my walk around the park. It was closed on Sunday at the time I visited, though I could see the vast empty space inside. Based on what I discovered later, however, it seems that it’s currently used for temporary exhibitions by the Reina Sofia Museum, so it’d be nice to come back and check one or more out.
El Retiro also houses El Velazquez Palace, another exhibition place owned by the Reina Sofia Museum, so clearly, this park has it all: nature, culture, art, and sports.
The ceramic tiles on both buildings capture the attention, and if they look like they were designed by the same person, it’s because they were, in fact, designed by the same person — Daniel Zuloaga.
Next to the Glass Palace, a man-made lake and the black swans calling it home attract crowds upon crowds. I’m not quite happy with the photos I took of the black swans, so instead, here’s what I saw as I was trying to avoid the hoards of people flocking to see the swans.
All in all, my return to longer walks was off to a good start, even if the day was much warmer than I’d have liked it. Excited for cooler days ahead and for much longer walks, wherever I happen to find myself.
