Parque El Capricho

This past Saturday, I walked from Pueblo Nuevo to Parque El Capricho, a park I'd surprisingly never been to before. 

It's very close to Parque Juan Carlos I and the airport, but it had somehow escaped my presence both years I lived in Madrid.

They count people as you enter, since there's a cap at 1,000 people. When I entered, the woman asked me if I had any food in my bag ("¿Lleva algo de comer?") , and I said no. (I did have a snack, but it was for later, post-park!) You can't eat food in the park—no picnics here—so just be aware that they may ask you the same thing.

I brought along my kindle, notebook, and watercolors, and thus passed several peaceful hours either sitting on benches beside the gardens, walking through the park, or reading in the grass.

IF YOU GO...

What: Parque El Capricho
Where: Paseo Alameda de Osuna, 25; Madrid 28042
Metro: El Capricho (Line 5)
Hours (Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays):

• October 1 - March 31: 9:00-18:30
• April 1 - September 30: 9:00-21:00

Map: Click here for PDF of park
Price: Free!
Tips: Below are a few park rules that are helpful to know ahead of time.

• Animals are not permitted in the park.
• Riding bikes and rollerblades/skateboards are also not permitted.
• You can't eat in the park.
• You can't play ball in the park.

Chinchón

Last Friday Gregorio and I went to Chinchón, which is a small town just southeast of Madrid.

Our first stop was at the castle, which is closed to visitors.

It was neat that while looking out to the fields northwest of the castle, we could see the four towers of Madrid, as pictured below:

On our way to find lunch, we happened upon this cool shop, La Ruta Natural, where the guy working was cooking his lunch out front with a solar oven.

Lunch was a delicious 3-course menu del día for 10 euros.

First course:

Second course:

(By the way, it's been so long since I've lived in Spain, that I was surprised when our waitress opened and left an entire bottle of wine on the table for me, the one who'd picked wine. I'd totally forgotten that some places do that!)

Dessert:

The restaurant was just off of the plaza de toros, which was being used as a parking lot since there weren't any bull fights that week.

Lunch gave me a total food coma, so I rested on a bench for about 40 minutes until I could walk again.

Gregorio, of course, captured the scene.

Then we headed higher up near the cathedral (closed), which offered a nice view of the town and plaza de toros.

I'm back again! (for a limited time)

Yup, I'm in Madrid! My last visit had been just over a year go, last July (that's when I'd had that unbelievable surprise from one of the gas & electric companies here...)

Lunch in Chinchón last Friday

After-lunch tea in Pueblo Nuevo yesterday

And I'll be seeing two more madrileño friends (from 2009) on Thursday!

Is anyone in Madrid still reading and want to meet up? I have Wednesday and potentially the whole weekend free—pending Gregorio's plans.