THE ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS AND SOME QUALITY DOWN TIME BY MYSELF

It is very true that spending time outside alone sometimes seems even a bit scary. We are, or at least I am, always hesitant in whether go or not to go to certain places if I am lacking company. Indoors it is pretty easy, I love some down time by myself, but when it comes to the outside world it can be a little bit difficult to arrive to the decision to actually get out there by yourself.

If you have read my previous post by now you know I am currently living in Madrid, and as a newbie to the city the quantity of places I want to visit is overwhelming. Being here only for a semester a lot of pressure to get to know as much as I can in as little as I have, and more often that I would like i lack the proper company.

This was the case with my wish to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens. I had been begging my friends to come with me but none of them seemed pretty interested and it wasn´t up until this Sunday that I finally got the courage to visit them by myself. It is safe to say it has been one of the visits I have enjoyed the most.

The gardens are seriously far more beautiful than I had imagined, the amount of care they show to have is beautiful, but what truly stole my heart was the greenhouse. Far behind, at the end of the gardens you have this modest big greenhouse but once you go in there is nothing ordinary about the place. The plants, from dessertic to exotic are extremely well taken care of and super beautiful, each one of them in their own special way.

To enjoy my stroll I just picked a great playlist, walked unend through the gardens, and enjoyed the best possible company I could ever ask for. Myself´s.

What I learned throughout this super simple and easy exercise is that 1) I should never hold myself back from something I really long to do just because no one else would tag along with me, 2) I should never be afraid or hesitant of spending time by myself, I am the one who know me the best and I should be sure enough of myself to never feel lonely when alone, and 3) asking strangers for pictures is sometimes far better than asking your own friends, the two girls I trusted with my photo were far too kind in attempting the best possible photo for me.

Don´t be afraid to venture by yourself, the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment you get afterwards is totally worth it.

Much love,
-CRIS.