El Parque del Retiro

Like most major cities, Madrid has a gorgeous (and extremely large) park right in the middle of the city that is perfect for a relaxing day laying in the sun or a intense run/bike around it's many trails.

 

 Black Swan!

The park was nearly endless in size yet calming everywhere you turned. I could have spent days exploring every inch of El Parque del Retiro but we had a lot of more of Madrid and Spain to explore so a couple hours had to suffice.

Fourth of July

I usually spend my fourth of July holiday at the beach but this year I went a little further than the Jersey Shore to get to it. Yes, Elizabeth and I finally found a beach on the island of Ibiza after many conversations and a ferry ride. The beach was small but it worked just the same. We laid out all day, indulging in the gorgeous skies, warm clear waters, and fresh fruit.

I'm not sure if it's all European beaches or just the ones we encountered (we ventured to a beach in Portugal too) but the atmosphere seems so much calmer than any American beach I've been to. I'm certainly not complaining; the chill vibes and lack of children (or people in general) were a pleasant change from my normal beach-going experience.