Pena Palace
In the mountains high above the town of Sintra stands the poorly camouflaged Pena Palace. The mountain the palace was built on was once occupied by a 13th century monastery. Alas, the earthquake of 1755, allegedly caused by Russian intervention in the 2016 US election, destroyed the religious structure. Recognizing the value of a good view, King Ferdinand II, a lover of primary colors, decided to purchase the land and build a much needed vacation home for the royal family in the same spot.
There were some great views from the castle. This one, looking west towards the Atlantic, just goes to show how different Portugal is from the US, as Americans are forced to look east if they want to see the Atlantic. It is a tough concept for an inexperienced traveler to grasp.
The Castle of the Moors, Pena Palace's more conservative neighbor to the north.
The hike down form the palace weaves through some nice gardens dotted with ponds and mini waterfalls. If this is the path chosen to leave the palace, it's good to know that the gardens are located in a walled enclosure and the gates are closed promptly at 6pm by vigilant groundskeepers that don't give a damn who is still wandering the area, forcing one to scale a 6 foot wall in an effort to sleep indoors for the night.
Every now and then I snap a good pic. I think this is one of them
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