el parque del buen retiro

today, a few of us went into madrid and visited el parque del buen retiro. it's basically the central park of madrid. the royals used to repose here when they got tired of ruling and beating up on the other lower classes; just imagine coaches and carriages and horses and fat, white people with hoop skirts. it's absolutely huge and AWESOME.



look, you can rent boats and go rowing on the lake there. this cute old couple were probably creeped out that i was trying to get their picture. but i really want to do this at some point while we're here.



okay, i kid you not... these were the most GIANT DUCKS I HAVE EVER SEEN... none of the pictures i took really show how gigantic they were. they were bigger than murphy! seriously, i have never been more impressed with the size of a waterfowl than with these. it was incredible.



there were these beautiful rose-covered archways there... love

this man was my favorite.. i really kept wanting to go up and ask him if i could take his picture but i was too afraid so i took one from afar. you know, just chillin there against a pillar in this national monument, playing his random instrument thing... it was really really cool.

we of course got ice cream. it's a staple here.

oh, yes! tomorrow we leave for TOLEDO! we'll be there wednesday and thursday.. i'm so very excited! and then spending friday and saturday in PORTUGAL! woop woop!