Scintillating Sintra (part 2)

I am obliged to continue from the end of the last post, where, by 4 PM, we had exited the Park and Palace of Pena and made our way to the centre of Sintra. But, I will have to interject a bit of our web search from the previous night. A Google search for 'Things to see in Sintra' provided us with a whole list of palaces and parks. Narrowing our search down to 'Things to see in Sintra IN ONE DAY' gave us subjective compilations of the best things to see. In all the opinions of what is worth it, and what can be skipped, one thing stood out. The 'Quinta da Regaleira'. What is it? Google provided us with this image -

Mild curiosity quickly elevated to intense levels of inquisitiveness mixed with excitement. What IS that? A further web search gave us a list of seemingly melodramatic opinion. Magic, cosmic, mystical, unreal, they all exclaimed. Must see, cannot miss, DO NOT miss, they all stated. But, WHAT IS IT, damn it? In all their hyperbole, none of them had explicitly stated what exactly the Quinta da Regaleira was. Whether my amateur web searching skills are to be blamed, or we just didn't have enough time to spend online, the mild frustration that I was left with that night only fuelled my desire to see the place and find out for myself what it really was.

I will let the cat out of the bag. In a nutshell, the Quinta da Regaleira is an estate that hosts a summer palace in a gorgeous garden. But, that is putting it too mildly.

The travesseiro

After reaching the centre of Sintra at 4 PM, we decided to pick up something to eat at a cafe before walking to the Quinta da Regaleira (henceforth shortened to just 'Quinta'). While figuring out how to get there, we also tried the 'travesseiro', Sintra's pastry specialty. Portuguese for 'pillow' because of its shape, the travesseiro was something I quite enjoyed. The sprinkling of sugar on the top was the icing on the cake, quite literally too!


Getting to the Quinta by walk takes less than ten minutes from the centre. Once on the street leading to the Quinta, one is greeted by a picture of the palace in the distance. Even while on the road, the palace's intricate exterior is visible from afar, something that I have noticed only once before, in the palace hotel of Bucaco, also in Portugal. It turns out, the same architect worked on both palaces.

At the entrance, we were handed a map of the entire estate. We immediately spotted a tiny picture of the same photo that we had come across on Google the previous night. Termed the 'Initiatic well', the structure is a 27 metre tower that sinks into the earth, and is connected to different caves via underground tunnels and walkways. The short description provided on the map sounded so thrilling, my childish whims re-surfaced, and I decided that come what may, I HAD to see this well before leaving the Quinta. With just an hour and a half to spare before catching the last bus back to the Sintra station, that didn't leave us with much time.

After spending very little time gaping at the splendid exterior of the palace, we made our way towards the Initiatic well. And here's where the Quinta quickly managed to highlight my "true" (read abominable) map-reading skills. Heading in the direction of the Initiatic well (or so we thought!) proved fruitless, and winding paths just kept taking us around the same place. In the hour that quickly passed, we managed to cross the extremely ornate chapel, and the Regaleira tower. We also crossed a couple of grottos, cave-like recesses, the most well-known of which has a statue of the Greek mythological figure, Leda.

Before we knew it, the time to depart arrived, and the Initiatic well was nowhere in sight. With heavy hearts, we trudged back to the bus stop. Only after taking a closer look at the bus schedules did we notice that in so long we had been looking at the schedules for 2012. According to 2013's schedule, we still had an hour to go before the last bus. What a lack of attentiveness! This was turning out to be the day to expose flaws that I had managed to artfully conceal so far. In our frustration, we ripped off the previous schedule, so that it wouldn't fool future tourists.

We literally ran back to the Quinta, and decided that in order to waste no further time, we would ask the lady behind the information desk to direct us to the Initiatic well. With a perplexed look, she told us that we just had to walk along the left boundary of the estate, to reach the 'Grotto of the east' which is the entrance to the tunnels leading to the well. By then, it had begun to rain.

We walked briskly and managed to find our way to the entrance of the Eastern Grotto, thankfully, without further ado. What follows is probably going to sound over-the-top, but I will try to pen my emotions down as I felt them. As we entered the caves, my eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness that we were quickly engulfed in. Treading carefully, I noticed how the caves had amplified the sound of the rain. Or was it just a heightened auditory sense now that my vision was obscured? I couldn't tell, but it was much like I have heard only in some movies, and imagined when reading books. Amidst the din of the pouring rain, I felt like I was consumed by an empty silence.  

One of the tunnels. My camera seems to have
added much light to the scene.

The first light I spotted emanated from one of the exits of the tunnels, which led to the waterfall in the garden. But, we continued walking in the opposite direction, towards a distant light, where we guessed the Initiatic well lay. When we finally reached the well, I was dumbfounded. The look of wonder in my friend's eyes mirrored my own feeling. We were finally here, standing at the bottom of the well, looking up at a view that people had captured a million times. Looking up at the view that got me excited about visiting the Quinta in the first place. In the hollows of the caves, enveloped in darkness, the stream of light that seeped in from 27 metres above us lent the well an illumination that left me astounded. How beautifully it had been preserved, for over a century, not just the physical structure, but its potency to overwhelm, while taking the tourist from darkness to light. We took the spiral staircase that led to the top of the well. When I finally got out from the top, the feeling that had been generated quickly fell away from me. It was as if it was  meant to be experienced only while within the well. We were back in the outdoors, that suddenly seemed much too ordinary. We walked back to the bus stop, consumed in our own thoughts by this last-minute experience. It had been the perfect way to end our splendid day at Sintra.

I wish I had more time to spend in the Quinta. If a quick trip to the Initiatic well could leave me feeling so intoxicated, I can only imagine how it would've felt to spend an entire day there. To understand the complexity of the palace in all its resplendent beauty. To walk at leisure along the garden's winding paths, without having to keep a check on the time. To discover, and allow myself to be carried away by stories of mysticism. To appreciate the whole of the Quinta as it was meant to be. It truly deserves more than just a hurried visit!

Scintillating Sintra (part 1)

Our day trip to Sintra began at 9 AM at the Lisboa railway station. We were pleasantly surprised by the animated employee behind the counter, who was very eager to sell us train tickets! After taking the 'Linha de Sintra' from Lisboa, we reached on a favourably rainy day. Rain has never been welcome, especially when spending the day outdoors. But, apart from providing a mystical touch to Sintra, our pleas for propitious weather were answered, and heavy rain was contained to times spent at bus stops or cafes.

Sintra, a town located at the foot of the Sintra mountain range (Serra de Sintra in Portuguese), is around 30 kilometres away from Lisboa. For the sheer number of monuments, gardens and parks, that together provide a potpourri of multifarious historical elements amidst natural beauty, the landscape of Sintra was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1995.

After getting to Sintra, we caught bus 434 that departs from right outside the railway station. It takes a circular route past the parks of Sintra. My friend and I decided that our visit would begin at the Park and Palace of Pena. The first time I came across a picture of this colourful palace was on my Windows desktop background two years back. It is one of the palaces in the 'Castles of Europe' theme. What struck me was how it stood out in the surrounding greenery, like a reckless dash of colour left on a hopeless canvas. Ever since I set foot in Portugal, a visit to the Pena palace was on my checklist.

View of the Pena palace

The original chapel

As we approached the palace, I noticed how drastically different it is on either side. The history of the palace provides an enlightening account of how it came to be, and helps merge a variety of elements into a single, albeit intricate, architectural entity. Beginning as a chapel (the northern most, red portion of the palace) in the 12th century, an earthquake in the 18th century left the monastery in pieces. King Don Fernando II acquired what remained of the monastery in 1838, and while reconstructing it, also constructed a larger wing in ochre, called 'New Palace'.

We spent a long time walking around the large palace, discovering and taking in its various towers, turrets, tiles and ornate designs. The most intricate of them all seemed to be the vicious looking Triton, a half-man half-fish structure, at an archway. The walls of the arches and facades were covered with very pretty tiles, some extremely exquisite. We also paid a quick visit to the museum, whose extravagant interior has been well preserved.

Since it is located on one of the highest peaks in Sintra, the palace provides for panoramas in all directions. Walking along its perimeter, the Moorish castle (another of Sintra's gems, that we didn't have the time to visit) can be seen in close proximity, while a view of the Atlantic looms in the distance. An intangible horizon leaves you wondering where exactly blue sky meets bluer ocean.

I have always thought there is something special about horizons. They hold a charm that I can't quite put a finger on. Platform for some of nature's best gifts, they stand steadfast in an ever-changing time. Whether you're hoping a fleeting sunset would last longer, or aspiring for endless possibilities, a horizon can signify anything you want it to.

Clockwise from left: Triton, the turret's dome, archway's tiles 

Apart from housing the Pena palace, the park is a remarkable landscape of beauty. Even from the map provided at the entrance, it is evident that it is teeming with treasures to be discovered. Amidst walking circuits, and recommended view points, exotically named spots provided an enchanting touch that only fuelled further my existing excitement. Very keen on viewing the palace from different vantage positions, we headed in the direction of the 'Cruz Alta', the highest point of the hills in Sintra. A Cross carved in stone stands at the apex. Along the way, we crossed the 'statue of the warrior', a bronze statue of the King, also visible from the palace. The Cruz Alta provides the best view of the landscape of the palace and its surroundings. When we reached the top, passing clouds concealed the palace from sunlight. So we hung around for a while, impatiently waiting for the taunting shadow games to end and allow for some rays of light to fall on the palace. Oh, it shone like a jewel when they finally did!

Other elements in the park that are worth a visit include the 'fountain of the small birds', an Islamic style monument with an Arabic inscription on its dome, 'Saint Catherine's heights', the favourite viewpoint of the Queen, with yet another magnificent view of the palace, and the 'Valley of the lakes', one lake after another, with little duck-houses right in the middle, making the spot more scenic. One of the things that I missed visiting was the 'Chalet of the Countess of Edla', which is a house built by the king for his second-wife Edla, who apparently shared the same love for nature as he did. The house is said to have been built to blend in with the surroundings.

By the time we got out of the park and made our way to the centre of Sintra, it was 4 PM. Even though the palace left me feeling extremely pleased, little did I know that the best part of the day was yet to come. Entitled to its own separate post, an account of the rest of our day shall soon follow.

Let's meet the Flintstones!

My first encounter with the words 'stone house' was when I overheard a conversation between a group of friends who were animatedly talking about how they had spent their Sunday afternoon. To hear that there exists a house built in between large boulders would capture anybody's interest, as it did mine. The mere idea befuddled me, and sounded too good to be true. Before I knew it, I was browsing the internet to find out as much as I could about this mysterious house.

Most of the places worth visiting in Portugal are inaccessible by public transport. The Casa do Penedo (Portuguese for 'house of stone' ) is one such spot. Tucked away in the mountains beyond the city of Fafe, the house lies in a remote countryside region. It was apparently built by the owner to provide for a quiet getaway during the holiday seasons.

We headed on our first visit to the stone house some months ago, with inadequate directions, and incomplete information. Intermittent stops in Fafe to ask bystanders for help proved fruitless. Not only did the idea of a house built between stones seem ridiculous to them, we were instead being directed to a church in the city, which, coincidentally, is also built of stone! After frantically searching the internet, and making some choices on the spur of the moment, we found ourselves driving along steep winding roads with a view of windmills on the horizon, quickly leaving the city of Fafe in our wake. As we proceeded further, the terrain transformed into mountainous wilderness, and tarred road gave way to mud and gravel. Even with the contemporary windmills that are scattered across the area, the huge boulders did make me feel like I was in the stone age. We had to slow down to a crawl, and keep our eyes peeled to spot the extremely well camouflaged house.

The house from a distance. Two different perspectives.

The house turned out to be marvellous in so many ways. Apart from being situated in an ideal location, the ingenious artistry behind its construction is admirable. The house is two- storeyed, and peeking inside exposed a furnished room, with an included fireplace. The ability to put together an authentic house between four boulders that seem appropriately positioned still boggles my mind!

The house's popularity has risen rapidly in the past couple of months. It has recently been advertised on Portuguese television, with a personal description from the owner along with a quick tour of the interior. It is also being featured in a short film. From being 'the mysterious house with the unknown whereabouts' to one that is now firmly placed on Google maps, a horde of people have already paid it a visit. The downside of such creativity is that, even if undesired, popularity quickly catches on. It does seem like a shame that the owner and his family cannot vacation here anymore. I do hope the attention that their home is drawing leaves them pleased nonetheless.

After walking around the area for a while, we climbed up the largest boulder in the vicinity, box of strawberries in hand, and caught the sun as it quickly set past the city of Fafe. A pleasant way to end our visit to the modern day Flintstones' house. 

Of culture, character and codfish

When I moved in here in the autumn of 2011, a friend who came across my 'current city' status on Facebook exclaimed 'It sounds like you live in a place that belongs to the Lord of the Rings trilogy! How is it pronounced?'

Guimarães (pronounced Gi-ma-ra-yesh) is a little city in the north of Portugal. Unheard of to most foreigners, it is suggested as a quick half- day stop to tourists visiting this country. Apart from being termed 'the birthplace of Portugal', and being an integral part of an eventful history, Guimarães also has a well- preserved historic centre that was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 2001. Walking past the narrow, quaint lanes always makes me feel like I have been transported to a medieval past. One too many times, I have paused amidst these surreal avenues to convince myself that I am not dreaming. In the summer time, the rows of cafes that line these streets are brimming with lively people and the smell of fresh coffee.

Largo da Oliveira square

No matter where you are in Guimarães, you will notice Mount Penha in the distance, which is about seven kilometres from the city. A cable car operates from the city centre all the way to the top. For those in the mood for physical activity, winding roads interspersed with enjoyable picnic spots provide for an interesting hike, ultimately leading to a panoramic view of the entire city. 

The castle

Guimarães' castle dates back to the 10th century, and has an imposing statue of Afonso Henriques, claimed to be the first king of independent Portugal, at its entrance. The castle, for a myriad of reasons, is the first of many things to see in Guimarães. Its history is intertwined with that of the nation's, and its strategic central location in the city makes for ideal tourist activity.


A Portuguese friend once warned me 'Do not ever walk around Guimarães with a jersey apart from their own. You'll come back home with a broken nose.'  This was the first of many bizarre trysts I have had with football in Guimarães. Unable to comprehend such fanaticism, I said 'But it's just a sport!'. 'It's not "just a sport", it's FOOTBALL!', he retorted. Such fine advice instantly changed a prior notion I had about football mania being analogous to the average Indian's cricket craze. The sport is the only reason I've seen these peaceful, friendly people raise their voice or create a hullabaloo. Football is being aired all the time, in every cafe and store in the city, and it is a common sight to come across Portuguese males of a diverse age group, packed in a tiny cafe, gaping at the telly, and screaming their hearts out. The people's patriotism for the local club, Vitoria de Guimarães, is quite spectacular. Ardent supporters till the very end, they are quick to forget Vitoria's failures, and they always return to cheer their team with a new- found vigour.

The Portuguese are very proud of their 'bacalhau' (codfish) and one of the first things I heard after moving here was the number of different ways that it can be cooked. It was to my friends' utmost disappointment that I disliked bacalhau. After being forced to try different types on several occasions, a few Portuguese have come to terms with the fact that I dislike fish. And so, while declining offers to eat bacalhau, I now also diplomatically add that I don't mean to offend them, and though it may be delicious, I have never liked the flavour of fish.

Another unique trend among the people here is how they replace most punctuation marks with curse words. Foul words are part of their daily vocabulary, irrespective of emotion. It isn't a surprise then, that the handful of Portuguese words I now know are the nasty ones. Out of curiosity, I once asked a friend to translate a couple of words that he automatically blurted out. Put euphemistically, it was 'The female dog that gave rise to this piece of poo.'

Finally, I think life in any city is well spent when appropriate events come to mind as one walks past familiar surroundings. All the memories that have accumulated over the time I've spent here are what make Guimarães the city I now call home. Be it the good times spent with friends in Oliveira square, or catching a jazz concert in 'Casa Amarela' on a Saturday night, or the time a loud, noisy group of us ranted curses at the statue of Afonso at 2 AM, to the sunny afternoons spent in the city park reading a book, while ogling at ongoing aerobics classes, innumerable such moments come to mind. For being termed a quiet little city, Guimarães has so much to offer.

View of the castle, the chapel on Penha, and everything in between.

Be it the countless mornings spent walking to the University, past a picturesque view of the castle partially hidden among the clouds, or the warmth of a hot cup of tea on a rainy day with the view of the entire city from our apartment, Guimarães had made me look past mundane routine, to capture and welcome its simple pleasures. After living here for a year and a half, I can now say that it may not be right out of the LOTR, but with Guimarães, I have certainly had the chance to live in a fairy tale !

P.S. Credit for some of these beautiful photographs goes to an artistic flatmate.  

'Not-so-silly' putty

"What do you study?", one of the first questions people ask when they meet me, elicits the same response from me, and the most varied reactions from them. "Rheology", I say. From "What's that?" to "Geology?",  "Theology?", and  "Oh, I've heard that, it's another word for microbiology! ", replies never cease to amuse me. Though I quickly begin to explain, I almost always fail to keep their attention.

Last week I came across something that could hopefully make my answer a little more interesting. A colleague brought along a box of silly putty to work, aptly named 'thinking putty' by the Firebox store.

Apart from making me feel like a six year old, I realised that this gooey material, amongst many others, has changed so much of my thought process and understanding over the past two years. Some of these thoughts, I intend to now pen down.

I'm sure most of us have come across silly putty as kids. The 'real solid liquid' that bounces like a ball when flung on the floor, and yet, flows like a liquid when at rest. What gives this ingenious material it's two- faced behaviour? (solid AND liquid, really? )

Silly putty is one of many materials that are termed 'viscoelastic fluids' in the scientific community because of their dual- behaviour. We would expect that a 'normal' liquid flows on the application of a force, and instantly stops flowing when the force is removed. Yes, water and oil do behave this way. In contrast, when the force applied on a 'viscoelastic fluid' is removed, it continues to deform for a while. This behaviour arises from the materials' capacity to sustain stresses for some time, termed 'fluid memory'. The time it takes for the material to completely release all the built up stresses is called 'relaxation time', and varies widely among materials. When exposed to quick force inflections, such materials are not provided with enough time to completely release the acquired stresses. So they behave like solids, and respond elastically. When given much more time, they relax, release the stresses, forget what they have last been through, and are liquid all over again. So you can deform it to any shape you want, and with time, silly putty lets it all out and reforms to its original gooey state.

Juvenile trial: On the left, a semi- cube at the start, and  on the right, its shape two hours later

In essence, this is what I deal with. The flow behaviour and deformation of such materials. And that is where the word 'Rheology' comes from! 'Rheo' being the Greek word for 'flow'. Viscoelastic fluids are just one kind of a large number of materials that behave strangely. Ironically, the unusual behaviour of materials is not uncommon to come across. Most of the stuff we use in our daily lives, from toothpastes and shampoos, to ketchup and paints, are materials that display such complex characteristics. Water is the exception! Rheologists try to understand the deceptively enticing behaviour of such materials to the best of their abilities, and delve into the niceties of such issues, in a hope to better predict them.

Sometimes it's fun to forget the intricacies involved in dealing with such materials, and just spend the entire day entertaining myself with silly putty. I must admit, I was completely absorbed by how my firmly placed fingerprint quickly faded away into nothingness. Fleeting memory is a lesson in itself. Putty certainly doesn't seem silly to me any more!