Peddle Boats | 60

(photos taken: August 23, 2015)

This. Is. A. WORKOUT! Milton, my mum and I first went here during summer. It was the last day of summer and we decided, why not? What better way to say bye to the hot summer than to go on the paddle boats? I was pretty stoked! We all left soaked...rhymes. It's really fun but ohh lord it's kind of a struggle to ride them. Maybe it's just me because I'm not a "cycling" person or I'm just weak. 

This is in Echo Park btw. I think it's about $10 per person and you have a full hour to go around the lake admiring the scenery and killing your legs as well! This time that we went, we went to celebrate my grandma's birthday. No we didn't make her drive the boats lol My brother, grandma and I were in one and my dad, other brother and mum were on another boat. At first we were planning to race and see who got to the end quick, but I forgot that I struggle. My brother was a good help though! The only rules are that you can't get too close to the fountain, you can't get close to the rocks because there's a chance you'll get stuck, and also you can't get up and switch while being on the boat. 

It's also important you make sure to wear sunscreen unless you want to get burned! I usually enjoy getting burned because my skin is red/pink and I like the pain when I touch it or when I shower, yes I'm a masochist...not really. My favorite thing is going by the fountain because you can feel the breeze and you will get wet. The water is pretty cold so when it reaches you it feels like you can't breathe for a moment, at least for me! So I just turn around or put my head down. But the breeze really feels good! After a while of struggling, we realized that the boat itself moves through the water. Obviously not at a fast speed, but it's good enough so you can admire everything and relax a bit! 

The scenery is really nice! You get the view of the downtown "skyline". There's a lot of palm trees and a section that looks like a little island because of all the trees. Aside from the peddle boats, they also have a gondola and a canoe. I thought they were only open during the summer, but they run the whole year except for holidays and when there's bad weather (makes sense). They're open pretty early, I think 10AM until about an hour before the sun sets. Sunset, gondola, date idea, you're welcome! But make sure you check the website for precise details cause I may be wrong. There's people selling the usual: hotdogs, pupusas, elotes, ice cream, and a married couple who makes churros on the spot! They're fresh and so delicious, a bag of 3 for $1, really worth it! There's a small shop inside, where you enter leading to the boats, and they sell coffee some snacks and sandwiches maybe. Really recommend to go here! You might get tired if you're like me, but it's a fun time!