After the morning’s fiasco with the trains, I’m so glad I wasn’t put off using them to make my way to Parque del Buen Retiro (Retiro Park). What a beautiful, peaceful place to enjoy a sunny afternoon!
The Retiro was originally built for the Spanish king Phillip IV and was opened to the general public in the 1800′s.
The central focus of the park is the large lake where you can go boating or simply laze around on its steps and listen to street entertainers perform. There’s something about the sound of the pan flute. I love it!
Among the park’s numerous statues, there is one to the ‘Angel Caido’ – said to be the only statue in the world dedicated to a fallen angel.
The monument to King Alfonso XII, features a semicircular colonnade and an equestrian statue of the monarch on the top of a tall central core.
Most definitely worth the effort negotiating the Metro again!