Travel Spain: Madrid and the Parque del Buen Retiro

June 3 started as another gorgeous hot day in Madrid and I was going to explore the city during my last few hours here before flying on to Vienna. After packing my suitcase I went for a walk from my hotel, the Alcazar Regis on the Gran Via, to the Puerta del Sol, Madrid's busiest square. I had a little croissant at the Starbucks on Calle Arenal and then strolled to the Opera and the Palacio Real.

Heading back through the Los Austrias district, I stopped at Madrid's city hall on Plaza de Cascorro and strolled through the narrow streets. I even came across the Rastro, Madrid's busy outdoor flea market which was busy on this Corpus Christi holiday. The city was much quieter today, with much less traffic.

Then I took the subway again and rode over to the Parque del Buen Retiro, Madrid's green urban oasis. Here I admired the Palacio de Cristal, a delicate greenhouse construction from the 1880s, and then went to the Estanque, the large pond that is at the heart of this large green space.

People were enjoying themselves in rowboats, listening to mariachi music as well as other musicians and admired various street performers. Merchants from central Africa were selling all sorts of wares and street performers were enchanting the crowds.

After a delicious pasta lunch at the Ristorante di Bocca on the Gran Via, it was time to take the subway to the airport and fly out to Vienna to spend the next 6 days in Austria.

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