PORTUGAL PART 2 - PALACES AND CASTLES

SINTRA IS A MAGICAL FAIRY LAND. IT HAS A LONG HISTORY FROM THE CELTS, VARIOUS BARBARIAN HORDES BEFORE THE ROMANS, BUT MOST OF THE VISIBLE REMAINS ARE 7-9TH CENT. MOORISH, THE SUBSEQUENT OCCUPATIONS, 10-18TH CENT. BY THE FRENCH FROM BURGUNDY, THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR AND THE SPANISH, HELPING THE PORTUGUESE EVICT THE ISLAMIC 'INFIDELS'. IT IS A MAJOR STRATEGIC POINT BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH AND WAS ALSO THE REFUGE OF THE ARISTOCRACY AND ROYAL FAMILIES ESCAPING THE HEAT AND PLAGUE OUTBREAKS IN LISBON IN THE 1300'S. HERE ARE SOME OF THE INCREDIBLE BUILDINGS AND LANDSCAPES OF SINTRA, THE MOORISH CASTLE ATOP THE HIGHEST POINT IN SINTRA WITH UP TO 12 EXTANT TOWERS; OF THE MULTICOLOURED 19TH CENTURY PALACE DE PENA BUILT BY A GERMAN FOR THE KING OF PORTUGAL THAT REMINDS OF SOME CRAZY CINDERELLA FAIRY TALE; AND A TWENTIETH CENTURY ITALIAN ROCOCO-RENAISSANCE REVIVAL HOME, THE QUINTA [meaning 'farm'] DE REGALEIRA BUILT IN ORNATE STONE AND TIMBER CARVED STYLE OVER SIX FLOORS AND PLACED IN THE CORNER OF A 3-4 ACRE PROPERTY COVERED IN GARDENS, MAZES, SCULPTURE

PHOTOS CAN HARDLY DO ANY JUSTICE TO THE SENSE OF AWE THAT THESE OUTLANDISH AND MONUMENTAL STRUCTURES INSPIRE IN THE VIEWER. IF YOU GET A CHANCE, GO!

PORTUGAL - LAND OF POETS, PIRATES AND PRINCES

STARTING AT DAY ONE WHEN WE WAITED FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS AT HEATHROW FOR OUR PLANE TO LISBON, HERE'S US BORED OUT OUR BRAINS

THEN PICKED UP THE CAR AND DROVE STRAIGHT TO OUR FIRST PORT OF CALL, SINTRA. HERE'S MERRIC IN OUR ROOM AND AN AFTERNOON VIEW FROM THE WINDOW

woodcraft folk camp, old pheasantry,

LAST WEEKEND WE WENT OFF TO THE OLD PHEASANTRY, NEAR REIGATE, WITH A GROUP FROM THE HOUNSLOW WOODCRAFT FOLK.

FORMED BY A PACIFIST IN 1925, THEY ARE AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE SCOUTS, WHO WERE TALKING ABOUT SETTING UP AS A RECRUITING MOVEMENT FOR THE ARMY OR LOCAL MILITIAS.

THE WOODCRAFT ARE A LITTLE HIPPY, LONG HAIR TYPES ALTHOUGH THEY ARE MOSTLY - THE PARENTS AT LEAST - PRODUCTS OF THE SEVENTIES AND NOW BALDING OR PAUNCHY, BUT THE ETHOS IS RIGHT.

THE WEATHER HELD, SUNNY AND BRIGHT AND THE KIDS ALL HAD FUN AND GAMES AND LONG WALKS AND PLENTY OF FRESH AIR AND EXERCISE

AND NOW..... MORE FOTOS.

and more snow this week!

THE FRIDGE IS NEARLY FULL - OF SNOWBALLS!

Fraser Institute Climate Report Leaked

Fraser Institute Climate Report Leaked