Some beautiful places make me sad. Their beauty is a reminder of the beauty I may lack in my life. A reminder of a life I never had or will. A reminder that society is too busy with being practical. A reminder that any golden ages are way over and of how unequal they actually … Continue reading Sights of Portugal: Monserrate Palace & Gardens, in Sintra
I'd say Quinta da Regaleira it's a place that leaves you with a lot of questions and no answers. Composed of a neo-gothic ornate mansion, and gardens filled with symbolism, it could be just a way for the wealthy to satisfy their eccentric tastes or maybe a bit more than that. I like to think … Continue reading Sights of Portugal: the mysterious Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra
We were admiring the interiors of Pena Palace when a really nice lady from the staff monitoring and safeguarding the tours told us our tickets also included a visit to the Chalet that was built specifically for Edla, the second wife of king Ferdinand II. We weren't aware of such fact. She said "it's just … Continue reading Sights of Portugal: Countess Edla’s Chalet in Sintra
You may be lost in the beauty of Pena Palace while you explore its grounds, trying to absorb every single detail, romanticising about the times when Kings and Queens stepped on the same grounds and potentially admired the same sights. But while you walk through its verandas and terraces, your eyes will eventually turn and … Continue reading Sights of Portugal: the Castle of the Moors in Sintra
In an attempt to try to stay sane one must take advantage of the few (but yet existent) possibilities. As any returns to normal travelling might be difficult to foresee, as the future remains cloudy, I must try to preserve any remains of mental health. Many have heard of Sintra. The first time I visited … Continue reading Sights of Portugal: Pena Palace in Sintra
First time in a few years I won't be travelling this Easter. I was supposed to be hiking in Norway at this moment, breathing the air of the fjords, feeling small in comparison to Nature. This Easter I'm in Portugal, staying at home. It is our duty. It's not supposed to be easy. It certainly … Continue reading A different Easter
Those months I was living in the Spain, the question I got asked the most after learning I was from Portugal was... ¿Sería mejor si fuéramos uno solo país, no? Which means... Wouldn't it be better off if we were one same country? My answer would be an automatic No. Without a given thought. And … Continue reading How is Portugal different from Spain – by a native Portuguese
I've realised a couple weeks (thank you Facebook) it was 7 years ago I finished my 6 months of studies in Madrid, part of the Erasmus program I had enrolled to. Madrid was the only place in Europe that wasn't buried in 10 meters of snow during the winter I could actually afford to live … Continue reading Madrid (2013) – 3 essential life lessons I learned in Erasmus
It might seem like a oxymoron but it's often when I travel and found myself in strange lands that I feel I belong to something. When I go through the arrivals gate, I always find the same expectant faces. Wide eyes carefully skipping from one face to the other. The smile bright smiles suddenly emerging … Continue reading Finding home in strange places
The marks of communism in Bucharest aren't just in the massive ugly blocks of apartments but also in the decrepitud left behind of that was once the Little Paris of eastern Europe. I've documented this before, but left behind the biggest symbol of this era - the Palace of the Parliament, most infamous creation by … Continue reading The heaviest building in the planet
