April 20th - Quinta Da Regaleria

Another gloomy day, but not one without excitement - we packed up in Lisbon this morning and headed 45 minutes inland towards the lush small town of Sintra. Cloaked in rainforest greenery and boasting 16th century manueline architecture, its streets are enchanted for both the small local population and the large volume of tourists. We would be staying for two nights  in this cute villa with unfortunate modern decor, but satisfyingly exposed timber framing and a scenic patio. 

As soon as we could, we hopped on a bus for them main event of the day: La Quinta de Regueral; A 19th century palace and guest house with famous stonemasonry and gardens. But to our jetlagged frustration, our supposed 25 minute bus ride quickly became an hour and 15 transit due to congestion from other tourists, it being Saturday. The time off our feet however was not too disappointing for us and Linda. We sat in the busy multilingual bus and we rested. The orchestration and funding of the property was done by Antonio Monteiro, a wealthy Portuguese coffee businessman and entomologist, very passionate about natural things and architecture and as such, these gardens show exquisite biological diversity among its excavated pools, tunnel systems and towers. Weathered and weedy stone pathways are used to navigate through the overgrow greenery. Any given trail can offer a subtle 

tower opening off to the side whose tight circular staircase takes you to the garden tier above, or maybe the head of another unassuming trail into the brush or to a quiet turbid pond or maybe even when rounding a corner you find the rock wall beside you has been excavated and enshrined... all and more is possible here.

Along the way we passed elegant and fragrant flowers, beautiful sycamore maples, Cypress species excitingly reminiscent to western cedars (Lawsons Cyprus, Mexican Cyprus) and huge cook pine trees. We woven and we wandered through the gardens before making it to the "infinity pool," a popular attraction on the property that had a lineup to view. The wait passed quickly speaking to an older family in front of us who timidly admitted they were from Idaho. Very nice people who we tried to reassure that Canada does not resent you particularly, it is just that we resent him and all those in his courts. 

Reaching the pool we found it to hold no water bu rather to be a deep cobblestone pit with a staircase revolving along its exterior. The interior of the pit reminded me of the one Christian Bale had to climb out of in the Dark Knight Rises. On quick inspection of the interior walls of the pit I figured that in a 'Gulag; situation I too would be able to climb out of the pit using the stone openings as hand and feet holds. After taking the staircase down to the pit's bottom we used an impressive cave system that took us behind a small waterfall and eventually spit us out at a spot in the lower tiers of the gardens. Beginning to feel restless we strolled down towards what I had grown most excited for: the manor. Built in the 19th century, this white and dark grey palace is a jewel of neo-manueline stonemasonry and architecture. Its spires and cones pierce through the sky and exaggerate its almost mountainous appearance. Past the lazy kitty baking in the sun, the undisputed ruler of its own world, we enter the great doors and marvel at hand-carved ceilings and elegant rococo furniture. From room to hall to room to balcony we marvelled at great displays of design and craftsmanship. 

Aside: why am I writing this little journal? Well, primarily to have something to return to time after time to be reminded of Portugal. Which then begs the question: what do I want to remember? The exact sequence of events one before the next and then the next after that and then the last, all while introducing personnel, setting, logical basis of being there, etc.? Yes, I want to remember this, but moreso I want to return to the feelings, the smells, the wonder of being in a new place. From now on, I’ll try to dismiss all chronologicity in favour of sensory description. *if my pen allows me

Sintra

Gardens of Quinta Da Regaleria

The Manor

Carved ceiling

April 19th - Portugal

Landing in Lisbon bushy tailed but heavy eyed I stumbled through airport shopping mall out to bus stop for an exciting and very Francophone bus to weave me through the city. Before me lay buildings and plazas and monuments which I knew must’ve been around long before the word 'Canada' was first ever muttered. It was all so attractive. I was buzzing in my seat, counting down the stops to mine. Off at a small courtyard with a dried up fountain I walked past a father and two sons playing some back-and-forth football and staggered up stairs to the slanted streets above where our Airbnb lay. It wasn’t until I reached the door that a message from Mia turned me back around to meet at the museum she was exploring directly adjacent to the stop I bounced out of. We shared a warm doorstep embrace before she led me inside. 

“There is 17th and 18th century furniture! You’re going to love it…"

And I did. The exhibit began with 14th century chests and chairs all made of oak and other domestic hardwoods with metallic accents. Simple, sturdy and impressive in its maturity. This style and its use of materials were repeated in many other pieces in the 14th and 15th century exhibition, but everything changed in the furniture of the early 17th century. Portugal can be considered the first colonial force of Europe. The Portuguese and their violent empire sailed east and west and slaving and stealing land in both India and Brazil to form colonies. They turned to surrounding forests to continue their pillage, and thus begin the European importation of what are referred to as “exotic “hardwoods. A wood of particular importance to Portuguese cabinetmakers was rosewood, a heavy and strong darkish-brown lumber from trees native to both Brazil (primarily) and India. With Rosewood Portuguese cabinetmaking began to evolve throughout the 17th and 18th centuries that was immediately evident as we walked through the exhibit. It was depressing to think what trail of blood followed behind these pieces of wood, but the craftsmanship was mind-boggling. There was so much flare, so much glamour, the chest and cabinets were covered with patterned gouge carvings, and triangular shapes gave a satisfyingly abstract cohesiveness that begged to be felt. Running your fingers along the grooves provides great pleasure particularly when grooves all met on edges to form sloped ridges. On the desks and the chairs, legs and rails stood out in brilliance. The baroque style is so friggin cool - the turning creates a dense pattern of smooth bulbous beads along leg-length. It’s blend of magical realism and fantasy with traditional woodworking techniques is really inspiring to me. I’d love to incorporate something similar to its whimsicality in a personal or (ideally) professional project.

After museum me and Mia went back to the nearby Airbnb to meet her brother, grandma and mom. From the simple but charming little flat we took transit from the simple but charming little flat we took transit to the first of many castles and palaces to come: the Castillo de S George. I think the first evidence of human occupation of the site dates back to 2000 BC and its function has changed greatly throughout its time from township to fortress to royal housing back to fortress as it is now. With its current form having been built in the eighth century. Walking through the castle gardens, we got our first taste of Portuguese ecology. In my bus ride through the city I’d only noted the deciduous trees planted in streets, with some species looking suspiciously similar to maple (later identified as sycamore maple) so it was fascinating to see numerous tall pine trees with these cool umbrella-like canopies, perfect for protecting folks from weather, but not obstructing any lower tier views. With quick research, I discovered these to be stone pine trees similar to red pine with its bark. In addition to the pine we saw plenty of Portugal's most recognizable tree: the olive tree. This country eats a wholeee lot of them and their pale green leaves speckle its wispy branches like brushstrokes. Another tree of interest on the castle grounds where a few cork oak trees, who - if not the olive tree - would certainly be Portugal's tree. It’s a gnarly looking thing whose bark is harvested every 10 years or so to be processed into cork. As I understand it cork trees are in serious decline so to see one in the flesh was real cool. The most eye-catching (and ear-catching) creature of the gardens, however, is without a doubt the peacocks which roam all throughout the grounds. Fascinating things yes, but fuck do they ever sound annoying. Every minute a male peacock screams like a baby pig as he tries and fails to court a lady. L rizz! 

From gardens, we moved inside to the castle walls. A true mediaeval fortress with drawbridge, moat, archery windows and all. we walked through courtyard and up stairs to guardways and archer towers. A source of great distraction throughout the day came from consistently stormy weather: intermittent downpours, persistent, gusts, and temperatures of low teens. Most of us, particularly me, were under dressed for such weather (would summer in Western Europe really feel so different than that Floridan cruise in 2016?), and when the rains came down again, we began walking back downhill in search of food. Restaurants did not all look inviting, and it was clear we were in a tourist trap of relatively inauthentic cuisine for steep prices, but our tummies begged us to be filled  and dove into one spot where I ordered chicken paella (which I believe to be Spanish) and was pretty darn satisfied. We continued walking down into Lisbon’s 'old town' and through some of its squares before taking transit back big day for myself jetlagged and sore-footed but an even bigger day for Grandma Linda, who might I remind you, is tough as nails. Onto the next… Sintra.

furniture from the museum

i did it first!

annoying bird hitting on my girlfriend 🙄