Retiro Park

On our first day in Madrid, we went for a walk to explore the city and decided to head towards Retiro Park.  I loved collecting the colourful leaves from the edge of the park to take photos later.  I really love all the patterns and autumn colours!

The colours of these cabbage plants around a fountain were beautiful too...

 The weather was a bit dreary but the trees provided some much needed colour.

I decided to try a technique I like when there are lots of trees together but not necessarily a great photo.  Move the camera while taking the picture during a long exposure.  This gives abstract results showing the lovely autumn colours!

Boring tree trunks

Straight up & down

With a bit more of a wiggle

Different trees

Different result

Lamp post no 30 (since it was my 30th birthday trip!)

We discovered there was a nature photography exhibition at the other end of the massive park but it was well worth the walk to get there...

We also discovered some exercise machines dotted around the park which we thought were a great idea!  Free to use and loads of locals were using them, most had come prepared and brought along a towel to dry them and sit on too.

Nik got a wet bum though, oops!

We then found the big glasshouse which had an art installation inside it.  We didn't entirely get it but we're clearly not art aficionados - it was basically a square of turf and a load of string.

Nik's confused face.

We found another building, also with some free art in it...

another confused face...

Huge blank canvas (not actually blank - it's painted white.  Random!

More confused faces, we're really not getting it are we?

:)

Toilet roll tubes in the shape of a bunny -
Blue Peter at it's finest!

The building was lovely!

The only piece I liked, it had teal in it ;)

We soon went back out into the cold for some fun with leaves and a pathetic attempt (slippy boots!) to climb a tree!