Row, row, row your boat

To enjoy the glorious weekend weather, some friends and I went over to one of my favorite places in Madrid yesterday afternoon -- Parque del Buen Retiro. It is a big park in the heart of the city, that has everything you can imagine from jewelry vendors and ice cream stands to a crystal palace and benches with bike pedals.

I love running around the park, especially in the gardens. There are always tons of people walking, running, and just hanging out, and it is particularly crowded on the weekends. I've seen puppet shows, mariachi bands, giant bubble blowers, jugglers, and of course, lots of couples making out. Retiro never fails to entertain.

Yesterday we decided the weather was finally nice enough to rent a paddleboat on the lake in the center of the park. It was really cheap, and a great way to spend the afternoon! 

Though I must admit, to say "we" rowed around the lake would be a lie. Still traumatized from my Jack's Boathouse experience in DC, I decided to keep my distance from the actual paddles...

In retrospect, our spin around the lake may have been a little more relaxing for me than it was for my super strong friends.