Retiro Park (twice!)

Well, one of our first adventures was going to Retiro Park. We LOVED it (which is why we went TWICE)!!! It was once "the private domain of royalty" but Charles III decided to share it with his subjects and it has been open to the public ever since. We were SO happy because it was 300 acres of sheer BEAUTY and FUN! The first time we went with our new friends Tamara and Brian. They invited us to go with them at the last second so I have no makeup and my hair is a bit nuts, so don't look too close! The second time we went alone and saw quite a few things we missed the first time around. There was SO much to see!
This is just outside the park... we had no idea at the time the treat we were in for! (You will see my little bag in front of my belly a lot trying to hid my growing baby!)
This was a CRAZY statue! I should have taken a picture from the other side, too! It had a face in front and in back.
There were fountains EVERYWHERE!
We saw two sets of policia like this on horseback and thought it was pretty fun! They aren't like this on the streets, we usually see them sitting in their cars.
The first gander at the pond we got to row in a little boat on! (You can see what the little blue boats looked like behind us)
Tim rowing us around. We shared a boat with Tamara and Brian and were happy we did because they could take our picture and we could take theirs... it worked out quite nice!
On the pond again! (This time Brian is rowing) The water was QUITE green... as you will see in a lot of the other pictures we have of some more ponds and fountains... I guess that happens when water is standing still for centuries! :)
Another fountain...
After we were done rowing around the pond we decided to go check out more of the park. It was so green and beautiful... a BIG change from everything outside the park! When we flew in to Spain it looked a lot like Southern Utah... lots of tan and red dirt! It is VERY dry and hot here, it actually reminds us a lot of Utah, aside from all the TALL buildings everywhere all smooshed together.
As we were walking we saw this that lead to an even more green covered walkway! (oops! Tim's elbow got in the way!:))
Yet another fountain... I'm tellin' ya! They were everywhere! This one had crazy creatures at the bottom so I had to show you the close-up :)
We found these beautiful gardens by accident!
We found a pond in the gardens and in the pond we saw...
A momma duck and her two cutie ducklings! (this pond actually had clear water!)

We saw quite a few people all around Spain who would sit or stand SOOOO still and pretend to be statues! This one actually reminded me of a guy I saw in NYC when I went during high school (remember him, Michellie?). He is ALL silver! Including his entire face... lips, earlobes and all! What people will do for money!
Tim just chillin' on the bench (if you look close you can see me in his sunglasses:))
Seeee? I told you there would be more pictures of GREEN water! This is obviously a few weeks after our first visit to Retiro Park because my belly is MUCH bigger! And we had told everyone by that time so I didn't have to hide behind my bag! :)
Me in front of the Crystal Palace. It was a LOT cooler on the outside than on the inside! There was pretty much nothing on the inside... except two LARGE stuffed animals hanging from the ceiling... WEIRD!
Tim by the pond that's in front of the Crystal Palace.
Another view of the Crystal Palace.
Tim getting ready to walk into the tunnel. It was to the side of the pond that's in front of the Crystal Palace.

Me inside the tunnel. There was a little opening where you could see the pond.
These were engraved on all of the benches in the park... so I had to take a picture of one! :)
We found another entrance to the park! Aren't these trees crazy? They remind me of Alice in Wonderland or a puzzle or something!
Tim from the opposite direction as I was.
He he! ANOTHER fountain! :)
Last one! As we walked out there was a HUGE bush full of the little beauties, so I had to take a close-up! :)