El Retiro Park and Jardines de Sabatini

Madrid has some of the prettiest manicured parks and gardens.  El Retiro Park is the largest park in Madrid with secluded walking paths, a crystal palace, and, if the notion strikes, a place to go row a boat. Not to be outdone, Jardines de Sabatini, while much smaller, is a fun maze of green hedges and burbling fountains set against the backdrop of the massive royal palace.

Pathways in El Retiro. 

Looking up. 

Sitting under a tree contemplating life, the universe, everything. 

The crystal palace currently holds a modern art exhibition with a giant stuffed Titanic and an upside down Empire State Building that slowly dribbles black sand onto the floor. 

Row, row, row your boat, right before it rains... 

Close up of a lion on the Monument to Alfonso XII. 

Jimmy and the trees. 

Enter the Jardines de Sabatini

Wandering through the hedges. 

Jimmy finding the end of a maze.