Sintra, Portugal

The second day in Portugal we moved to the southwest side of Portugal in a city set in the hills. We traveled approximately thirty minutes from the city of Lisbon using the rental we from Lisbon.

Sintra is a small city in Portugal that has been dubbed the hidden gem of Europe and is also one of the world heritage sites by UNESCO. One thing that really caught my attention while in Portugal was the street name was made from cement, then taped to a ceramic tile in the middle of the road. This one contained a cat carving inscribed with the name of the street. It reminded me of graves in Indonesia which are usually decorated in the same way.

Cool air and a little fog greeted us when we entered the town of Sintra, its located on the hills surrounded with pine trees. There are many palaces and mansions around that made it feel like we were in a fantasy land. "Honey, we should go straight to the Pen Palace. the palace will be very full of tourists come the afternoon," said Valter who was busy driving the car. I just nodded in agreement while enjoying the music playing from the stereo.

Pena Palace looks very beautiful from a distance, the combination of bright pink, yellow, purple colors set in a Romanesque Revival, together with the Neo Manueline styled architecture made me feel as if I was walking in a fairy tale palace. This castle is the ultimate expression of 19th century romanticism in the world. Above the front door there is a large statue of the god Neptune in a squatting position while looking down, which made me shudder a little, wondering why Neptune was squatting.

Ha Ha

The part that attracted me the most was the outside of the palace, its name: Parque da pen. A garden in the form of a vast forest that was equipped with stairs that extended to the palace. The forest looked like a wilderness maze with so many different types of plants and trees from all over the world.

After finishing visiting Pena Palace, Valter took me to the next destination. 'Castle of the moors' or 'Moorish Castle' which is the most impressive relic of Islamic rule in Portugal. Valter and I were running and laughing along the winding old fort up the stairs to the top of the castle. This old castle is amazing. It sits on a hilltop built in the 8th century AD, at 574 feet. The fort surrounding the castle is reminiscent of a smaller version of the Great Wall in China. The view and atmosphere above the castle is amazing, the whole city of Sintra could be seen and the green forest was far below. Strong winds and cool air blew heavily and was an experience that is very rarely found anywhere in the world.

Sintra is completely different than other cities. A small town full of history, the journey then continued to the 'Quinta da Regaleira' which was no less exciting. This palace is nicknamed Palace of the Millionaire Monteiro, after the name of the former owner named Antonio Augusto Carvalho Monteiro. Where the mystical city of Sintra came from. This palace made me hold my breath before entering it. This place always attracts attention because of the mystical story about it behind its beautiful exterior. Carvalho Monterio was a devout Freemason and incorporated masonic imagery and symbols in several places throughout the estate, and inside the palace.

It consisted of a plantation, a chapel as well as a beautiful garden which was in the form of a maze allowing guests to get lost. There are statues of the Greek god Dionysus displayed throughout the estate which were also part of the popular symbols of the Masonic world. Apart from being charming, there was a kind of strange and awkward feeling that aroused my curiosity. Inside the building, there was a large hole like a well drilled 27 meters deep into the bowels of the earth. This well was not used for water storage, but as a place to hold ritual ceremonies for Freemasonry and the Knights Templar. At the side of the well, there was a ladder that curved along the circle of the well to the bottom, Valter and I descended slowly on the narrow ladder of the well. We descended five floors and passed nine platforms before reaching the bottom of the well. These nine platforms were created to literally remind visitors of Dante's nine circles of Hell. Right at the bottom of the well in the shape of a circle, there was a pentagram, like a symbol of ritual points in found in mason teachings. The atmosphere inside the well was quite dark and cramped, with a mysterious air that was strong enough to have a feeling that was hard to describe. Likewise, the interior design is all with strong masonic symbols. "Lord Byron * once called this place glorious Eden." said Valter. I shudder in fear at the mystery hidden behind this place.

"Eden is one of the names of gardens in heaven. Your Majesty, who do you mean by that?" I whispered softly. Valter just shrugged and shook his head. Valter and I then walked through a dark tunnel at the bottom of the well, like a cave whose walls were still natural rocks, the smell of stuffy, dampness filled our chest, we arrived at the end of the tunnel which was directly connected to a waterfall. It's a different experience when in Sintra, a small town 23 kilometers from the capital Lisbon, Portugal.

Valter and I had lunch at a traditional restaurant after a trip to visit the castles, a small but elegant restaurant with very friendly waiters. Catinho Gourmet is also famous for selling various types of wines at low prices but with a high quality that is maintained, I tried different types of wines while Valter was still loyal to his beer.

Before ending today's trip we stop for a moment at the Cabo do Roca Mercusuar, which was a place in the westernmost point of Portugal and Western Europe, located 165 meters above the Atlantic Ocean. A promontory jutting into the sea, consisting of boulders of granite and alternating limestone. It is a quite atmospheric place with strong winds hitting you from the vast expanse of the Atlantic. The vantage point from where I was standing I saw the dramatic, steep and beautiful coastline. This is the second part of 'The Edge of the World' we visited. Above a steep cliff with strong winds blowing my hair. Valter hugged my waist tightly from behind, occasionally I glanced at Valter who smiled sweetly on his beautiful face which made my heart dance.

I turned my body to look at Valter, Valter put his lips on top of mine, and gave me a soft kiss, I closed my eyes, letting myself be swept away in his warm kiss in the roar of the sound of raging waves crashing against the cliff face far below, beneath our footing. The happiest point of my life was Sintra and Valter. They are two things that will continue to live on in my thoughts and dreams.

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(*) Lord Byron was a famous British aristocrat poet, who played a role in the independence of Greece.