Madrid definitely has many beautiful parks and we frequently spend our time at one of the parks to just laze around. Although we love, love, love Buen Retiro Park but we often go to the one nearest to home, Manzanares Park or if you say its name in Spanish, it will be Parque del Manzanares.
Well, on the day of Los Reyes Magos and we felt like doing some exercises albeit in our separate way. Me, by brisk walking and my husband with his bicycle. I went out of the house first, of course!
Yesterday's weather was quite chill! I went out at a quarter past eleven in the morning and by the time I reached the park,it was close to 12 noon, hoping the winter weather to get warmer but that was not the case. Brrr...should have put on the muffler. My phone checked at 6 degree celcius.
There were many people running along my way to Manzanares Park. I have never fancy running just because my knee will act up after hitting the course. Brisk walking is better. I just followed this small road and the small stream is so lovely, adding up to the already marvelous view. Subhanallah.
Manzanares Park is so big, spanning around 650 hectares and the park is actually part of a bigger park project using Manzanares River as its backbone. So, the stream you see in the picture above is actually coming from a bigger river called Rio Manzanares in Spanish.
I took the picture (autumn tree) towards the end of December 2015 and it seems the autumn ends pretty late this time. The yellow leaves contrasting the lovely blue Madrid sky. Breathtaking.
It took me about 45 minutes walking from my house to Manzanares Park and the journey is about 3.4km. Return journey is close to 7 km! Yeay! In the spirit of physical fitness but only done once or twice a week..kekeke.
This park has so many olive trees!! We actually took some of the olive leaves to make some of our favorite olive leaf tea and also some of the ripe olives (around November) as well!! Shhh...don't tell anyone please. ^^ Just because we cannot help ourselves to join the elderly to pick those olives which fell on the grass and pickle them. Yummy...
How to go to Manzanares Park?
If using the Metro, the closest is to Doce de Octubre (12 of October) Station, Line 3 (Yellow) and then walk about 1.5km which google map gauges about 18 minutes. Phew..^^