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<\/a><\/p>\nHere we are trudging up to the National Palace. I noticed the pointed structures above the roof.\u00a0 What could they be?\u00a0 All will be revealed soon.<\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n Go To Page 01<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" To the Sea We Go! This is our last full day of the tour. We headed out of Lisbon to see the sea to visit Sintra. Sintra is a resort town in the foothills of Portugal\u2019s Sintra Mountains. A long … Continue reading <\/a><\/p>\nFrom the arched arcade at the entrance we could see the\u00a0neatly framed down town of Sintra with another tour group on our heels.<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nThe rooms, both royally large and cozily small, were decorated with beautiful tile work.<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nWe get closer to the strange looking conical structures. What could they be?<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nFrom a balcony we could see across the valley many hillside mansions like this one.<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nUnfortunately, our itinerary did not include s trip to the Pena Palace high above Sintra.\u00a0 But, guess what? Nothing escapes the eye of the GCT drone.<\/h2>\n
Note the Atlantic Ocean in the distance.<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nThis is the kitchen of the National Palace.\u00a0 I guess they did a lot of entertaining because the kitchen was huge!\u00a0 They would even light a fire in the middle of the room on the floor and roast whole pigs, cows, etc on massive spits.<\/h2>\n
Guess where all the smoke would go…<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n… up the chimneys, of course.\u00a0 \u00a0Mystery solved.<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nA final look at the palace.<\/h2>\n
Naturally, we had to head to the down town tourist street.<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nIt was a narrow alley, crammed with tourists and souvenir shops. I bought\u00a0 my final refrigerator magnet here. I think I must have bought at least 20 on this trip.\u00a0 What do you think I spent all those Euros that I saved on all those sandwiches I made for lunch?<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nI did make a final church visit.\u00a0 This is Saint Martins Church. It is located right in the city center. It dates to the 12th & 13th centuries. This parish church was destroyed by the 1755 earthquake and rebuilt out of character at the end of the 18th Century.<\/h2>\n
Of the original structure there remain only the Gothic chancel, visible from outside, and three Portuguese paintings on wood from the middle of the 16th Century.<\/h2>\n
Note the National Palace chimney in the background.<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nThe interior.<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nThis gruesome thing is in the church vestibule.\u00a0 \u00a0It’s Jesus dragging the cross above a glass coffin holding his remains.\u00a0 \u00a0Brrrr.<\/h2>\n
Lord Byron\u00a0was a key figure in Romanticism. He came to Sintra in 1809 and wrote,\u00a0\u00a0“…that the village of Cintra\u00a0 … is the most beautiful perhaps in the world.”\u00a0 \u00a0Brrrr.<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nThis is a foggy view of Cabo da Roca\u00a0(Cape Roca) is a cape which forms the westernmost extent of mainland Portugal, continental Europe and the\u00a0Eurasian\u00a0land mass.<\/h2>\n
It’s about 3120 mile from here to our summer home I left almost 3 weeks ago in Maine. Long swim!<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nOur last stop was at the town of Cascais. Pronounced Cascaishh.\u00a0 Portuguese esses have an shh sound.<\/h2>\n
The Three Amigos had lunch in this town plus a gelato at a nearby shop.<\/h2>\n
Back at Lisbon,\u00a0 the group\u00a0 gathered for a drink in the hotel lobby and aFarewell Dinner in the upstairs dining room.\u00a0 We all agreed that we had a great tour – thanks to Juanjo and GCT!<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nThe Three Amigo had their own Farewell toast at the roof top bar.\u00a0 I’m sorry I didn’t get a final photo of us.\u00a0 Oh well…<\/h2>\n
The next morning we got up early and made our way to the airport for the long trip home.<\/h2>\n
!ADIOS AMIGOS!<\/h2>\n