Parque De El Retiro, Madrid

We decided to return to the Parque De El Retiro, so we could relax. We packed the Bose speaker and head to the supermarket to get some beers and snacks. The main supermarket was closed, so we head to a newsagent instead. When we got to the park, Amal decided to have a short workout, so did some situps, and went to the outdoor gym located in the park. I saw a red squirrel, something I have never seen before, most (if not all) the squirrels in England are grey. Whilst Amal was working out, I lay down listening to music and drinking beers. I thought back to the supermarket being closed and thought it would never have been closed in England. I recalled a conversation we had with the American lady, at the clothes swap earlier in the week. She said, it is common for the Spanish to be late, to me being late is being 5 minutes early! It seems in England we are always in a rush to get somewhere. Even in Spain, we have all the time in the world, yet we still run to catch the train, run to make a crossing, and even our casual walking speed seems to be faster than the Spanish, especially in the intense heat. It is hard to break a habit like walking fast, even when I am conscious of it. The context of having a 'siesta' around midday seems bizarre to me. I understand that it is something which tends to happen in very warm countries, but Spain has 4 seasons! It seems that even if there is 'business' at these hours, the shops will still close, and this will benefit family and social life, to make for a healthier and happier working life.

Red Squirrel and bird in Parque De El Retiro, Madrid

Red Squirrel in Parque De El Retiro, Madrid

Parque De El Retiro, Madrid

Parque De El Retiro, Madrid