Bluebird Flies

One of the many things I looked forward to about traveling the world was being able to run in different locations. After learning about the Madrid Rio Project, I couldn’t wait to get to our first destination and run it.

The Rio Project, which was just finished this spring, was designed to make a once unused part of the city a place for residents to exercise, congregate, play, etc. The  idea was to make the Manzanares River once again a part of the city’s center. They succeeded.

This was a massive undertaking. For starters, it involved rerouting four miles of the 6-8 lane major M-30  road underground.  Then came walling off banks of the river, planting 33,000 trees (not a typo), 470,000 plants and shrubs, building bike parks, skate parks, a huge climbing wall, playgrounds that are each one-of-a-kind and incredible, fitness areas, countless sitting areas, multiple pedestrian and bike bridges crisscrossing the river, and a lot more I’m leaving out. What resulted was a city park and green space comprising 350 acres along the river within six districts of the city.

Yeah, I wanted to run this thing. My iPhone pictures don’t do it justice, but here’s what some of my run looked like.

Leaving the apartment, which is just down the street in the center.

Took a right onto this road.

Took a left and ended up here. Had to figure out how to navigate this giant roundabout without killing myself.

At this point I was wondering if I was lost, so I found another runner. She was stretching. I asked in my terrible Spanish something like,  “River is here?” and pointed in the direction where I thought it should be. She smiled, said yes, and then said a few sentences in Spanish I didn’t understand. I nodded along, said “Si” as if I understood, smiled and thanked her. I love these encounters.

Looks like a river to me. I made it. Atletico Madrid’s stadium in the background.

Tubular pedestrian/bike bridge crossing the river

One of the many playgrounds

Skate Park

Zip Line (with my shadow making an appearance)

Pedestrian/Bike Bridge

Car Bridge (trails run underneath this and other vehicle bridges)

Right about this point, I’d been running for almost an hour when I got a call from our apartment’s owner telling us we needed to move because a pipe was leaking. Uh, time to leave the Rio, I guess. I got to see most of it, though.

Jungle Gym

Newsstand on the way back

Fire Station

Small roundabout near our place

My overall impression was that the Rio Project was incredible. Once the trees mature this place will be even more beautiful. There were a lot of locals using it, despite the absence of any people in my pics. I was bummed Macy was sick and  couldn’t play on the playgrounds. Maybe next time.

Buen Retiro Park gets all the love in Madrid. I walked there later in the day and it is staggeringly beautiful. It is on everyone’s must-see list for Madrid and for good reason. But if you find yourself in this amazing city, do yourself a favor and check out the Madrid Rio Park, too.