28 — Friday, March 12, 1999 — North Shore News Sintra: This gi Sean G'8yrne Contri ibuting Writer THE path was more difficult than I had imag- ined, though the guidebook had warned us about it. We hiked steeply and steadily, sometimes losing the trail te wisps of low cloud. under the wet cover of lush greenery. Though ir was not hor, | was dripping with sweat, and under stood why so many opted to take the shuttle bus to the top. After some twenty minutes, we broke into a clearing so obscured by rolling tog that we could nat discern its cdges, We paused for adamp breath, | tecling tike Goflim come to the world above ground. As we stood uncertain, the slight. retreshing breeze began to reveal shadows. 7 grew more and more convinced that this was Middle Earth as the snout of a crocodile pushed its way through the fog bank, high above us. Little by litle, the breeze exposed ramparts, turrets, and the waterspouts of which the stone crocodile was one. As the sun burned away the fox, the colours, too, began to show: vel- lows, pinks, and blues like a fantasy castic. Which, of course, it was. Contrary to appearances, this was far from ‘Tolkein’s world, though he could easily have taken his inspiration here. We were at the Palacio Nacional da Pena, high above the town of Sintra, and about oventy miles northwest of Lisbon, A transplanted Bavarian prince conimissioned the palace, which dates from the middle nineteenth century, modciling it after the castles of his cousin, “mad” King Ludwig. From the high wails of the palace, it is easy to see why Byron called Sintra’s verdant hills and valleys “this glorious Eden.” To the east, the spires and towers of Lisbon show them- selves on clear days. To the west, the open Adlaatic roils and crashes onto the Portuguese coastline. From the ramparts of the palace I spied, on a nearby peak, the statue of an explorer surveying the western vista and the New World far beyond. Unlike most European castles, this one is tilly furnished in its original opulence, with extensive descriptions of each room. The rooms are an eclectic mix of themes, from Persian to Renaissance to the Baroque. After touring the palace for a couple of hours, we descend- ed the same path we had come. Halfway down the hill, ata shuttle bus stop, the entrance to the grounds of the Castelo dos Mouros beckoned. The remains of this Moorish fortress, in its rolling parkland setting, date from the sixteenth century. Its ramparts sprawl along the hillside, and climbing them (an v cask compared to the morning's ‘hike) offers dramatic views of the valley, and of the Palicio da Pena, glittering now in the afternoon sun. Back in Sintra, the visual delights continued. The Palicio Real, or National Palace, is most prominent, with its white, conical bullhorns (“ice cream tops”, as my wife dubbed them) towering over the village. The palace offers guided tours of its decoratively diverse rooms. Sintra is divided in nwo by a park, requiring a scenic (but easy) half-mile walk or bus ride between the train station and the town centre, or Vila. Halfiway along this walk, we followed the signs to the stu- dio/museum of Anjos Teixera. The path winds down into a ravine, to the studio, The farher-and-son Teixeras are now dead, but the studio now serves as a muscum of their marble sculptures and draw- ings. The lone staff member recounted her memories of the two sculptors, their influence and popularity. We spent our last morning browsing the recently opened, Museu de Arte Moderna, a collection of international nwenti- eth-century art at the northwest end of town. BYRON cailed Sintra’s verdant hills and valleys “this gioricus Eden.” us Eden Photos Sean O'Byrne THE Palacio Nacional! da Pena, twenty miles north- west of Lisbon, dates from the middie 19th century. This is 2 must-see for aficionados of modern art. “The tourist office can provide details on numerous other museums and diversions. Geographically, Sintra is smail, but it holds enough act ae- tions to make a two- or three-day stay worthwhile. We spent three days exploring the town, staying at the basic, but com- forrable, Casa de Hospedes Adelaide near the cimara munici- pal (city hall}. Accommodations in the area are plentiful, ranging trom a youth hostel to deluxe hotels, with a corresponding range in prices. Sintra is casi essible fram Lisbon, with trains departing Rossie Station every 15 minutes. The hour-long ride cost 185800 in 1997 (about $1.50 CDN) and ends around the corner from the town hall. There is a small tourist office at the train station, and a larger one in the Vila. The staff at cither office will provide maps and help to arrange a room. if You Go: @ Specialty shups throughout Portugal sell port wine at inflat- ed prices. Often, the same bottle can be bought in Canada for mutch less. The exception in Sintra is the Adega das Caves, a restaurant serving delicious, traditional Portuguese food at rea- sonable prices in a converted wine cellar. They also sell port, vintage and recent, by the bottle co take away. Prices here are much better than can be found elsewhere. Many of the bottles are displayed, with their prices, on high shelves in the restau- rant. @ The Museu de Arte Moderna is located on Avenida Heliodoro Salgado, northwest of the train station. Open daily except Monday, admission is 600500 (a lithe more than $5 DN). BCAA President's Cruise Adventure | - through magical Provence and Burgundy - aboard the W.5. CEZAWNE 1999 BCAA President’s Cruise September 24 - October 6, 1999 Fie a) 7 nights aboard the MS Cézanne the deluxe river ship it Provence and Burgundy. 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