After the Fact: Sintra

Perhaps because we are experiencing the first real heat of the year or perhaps because it was about this time last year that I started packing up for the summer that I am now experiencing crazy Spain nostalgia.

In case you were wondering, we will not be going back to Europe this summer. We were contemplating going to Portugal for a month for Zach to continue working on the language, but we decided it wasn't the best option for this year. We're being a teeny bit more practical this year. But just a bit.

Anyway, in the midst of all this nostalgia, I realized that I never posted pictures of our day trip to Sintra, Portugal. "What, what?" you say! Well, don't let it worry you any longer. Because there's nothing else terribly interesting going on right now, Here are a gazillion photos from that day with descriptive information to boot (just so you know, I filled an entire card with photos here. It's gorgeous. So, this is really a whittled down version of Sintra.)

The Train Ride to Sintra

It was only about an hour or so to get there. Of course Ben fell asleep. I still wonder how we all managed considering the crazy nap schedules that the boys had. See that cookie Sam is eating? Those things are delightful.

The Tiled Town's Name in the Train Station

Tile is very, very big in the Iberian Pennisula. They use it everywhere: floors, interior walls, exterior walls, counters, bathrooms, decorations... It's the thing to do.

This is a picture of the an aged wall. Isn't it oddly beautiful?

Zach and the boys (see? now Sam is asleep and Ben is awake) on the way up to the National Palace

The fountain in front of the National Palace

If you look at the top of the picture above you'll see the Castelo dos Mouros or Moorsish Castle. We walked up to that. All the way. With the stroller. And the boys. All the way up there.

It was switch backs most of the way up. At first there was a trail that we thought went all the way to the top, but it turns out that we had to walk on the road most of the time. Probably not the safest thing to do, but we survived.

Katie - Publicity Photo (I do not push strollers up hill when Zach is around)

Despite this picture, which was one of the only times I pushed at all, Zach did all the hard work. And most of the hills were about 89% angle. Evil. Truly.

But, in the end, like most things that are hard to do, totally worth it.

The view from the highest point in the city of the Castelo de Pena

It was really windy up there. Beautiful and windy.

Then we walked from that point over to the above mentioned castle.

Zach pushing the boys up to the gate

Entering the Castle

Castle Detail
(Love the tummy)

Katie and the Boys in the Courtyard

Isn't it beautiful? There was also a delightful, wooded garden all through the hills surrounding the castle.

Then we headed back to Lisboa, and slept forever and ever, because we were really tired.

Zach and the boys heading out of the Castle

And dirty.

Katie's (tired) feet standing in Sintra, Portugal