Sintra. The well. This is what I was really excited about so when rain was in the forecast I was less than pleased. This picture Kari candidly captured pretty much says it all. Mostly that cheap poncho did nothing except help guide the water down the front of my skinny jeans and into my converse. Wet jeans are nasty! But... look at the well!
It is perfect. The Initiation Wells (AKA initiatic wells or inverted towers) are two wells on the property that better resemble underground towers lined with stairs. These wells never served as water sources. Instead, they were used for ceremonial purposes that included Tarot initiation rites. The tunnels described above connect these wells to one another, in addition to various caves and other monuments located around the park. Of the two wells, the larger one contains a 27-meter spiral staircase with several small landings. The spacing of these landings, combined with the number of steps in the stairs, are linked to Tarot mysticism. The smaller well contains straight stairs that connect a series of ring-shaped floors to one another. This well is also called the 'Unfinished Well'. A structure similar to these wells can be found in the Pozzo di S. Patrizio in Italy.
This well was on the ground of the Palace de Monteiro. There are lakes and caves, castle pieces, a palace. It was such a beautiful ground. I wish it wasn't raining so we had more time and desire to explore.
Then it started to downpour so we just hung out in the palace and waited. Well once we saw that it wasn't going to stop we just braved the crazy rain and got soaked. We found an Aldi and Aldi had brie for a dollar... why the heck is cheese to cheap there. It amazes me. We ate a lot of bread and cheese it's like chips in America.
After the first palace we went and sat in a parking lot hoping the rain would go away. And guess what it did! We raced back up the mountain and literally rain into Moorish castle. RAN. Out of breath up the fortress stairs. In the background you can see Pena Castle.
The Moorish Castle is the name given to a medieval fortification in Gibraltar comprising various buildings, gates, and fortified walls, with the dominant features being the Tower of Homage and the Gate House. Part of the castle itself also housed the prison of Gibraltar until it was relocated in 2010.[1] The Tower of Homage is clearly visible to all visitors to Gibraltar; not only because of its striking construction, but also because of its dominant and strategic position. Although sometimes compared to the nearby alcazars in Spain, the Moorish Castle in Gibraltar was constructed by the Marinid dynasty, making it unique in the Iberian Peninsula.[2]
Moorish castle was so beautiful. Walking along the walls and the view of the city below was breathtaking. Keeping with the luck of no rain we raced to Pena Castle. This place was straight out of Disneyland. It is so colorful and beautiful. Absolutely amazingly colorful and beautiful.
The castle was built on the site of a medieval chapel dedicated to the local Virgin Mary call “Our Lady of Pena.” This site gained religious importance after a reporting of the apparition of the Virgin Mary. The chapel to honor the Virgin was built on the top of the hill and many people pilgrimaged there. In 1493, the site had two more special visitors; King John II of Portugal and his wife Queen Leonor climbed up the mountain to honor their patron.
Sintra is amazing. It is a necessity in Portugal.
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