I woke up this morning and, for some reason, my head was here. In Portugal at the Palácio da Pena in Sintra. We walked the wet paths, clutching our umbrellas, through fairytale mist. The lush woodlands carved out this picture of slippery yellow and grey, dripping to just a blur.
We took the train back to Lisbon and, the next day, my friend Lynn and I met up with Graça, a stranger to me and, up until then, just a woman who penned work e-mails to Lynn. She was barely five feet tall, in a black suit one size too small, cheeks red and chubby.
Graça had a lot to say. About everything. Barely let us sneak in a word. She led us through the streets, always marching many steps ahead, forced baked goods into our hands, analyzed event spaces (Lynn was there on business. I was, as usual, observing...tagging along.) Her judgements were much bigger than her height. She was unimpressed with almost all that she saw.
You went to Sintra yesterday? Her eyes huge with disapproval. What a silly thing to do. To see one of the most beautiful places in the world, in the pouring rain.
I don't know why I think of Graça and Sintra today. But, for me, Sintra will always belong to the rain.
goodness! I have been there and I have loved there! (I even wrote a near to there scene into a book once.)
ReplyDeleteA very happy week to you, lovely one. I was happy for your email. I will answer it soon.
Wow, it's beautiful! Perhaps even more so for the rain!
ReplyDeleteBut then, I've always been a fan of gothic mystery, and this photograph makes me think of a girl in a white dress, her hair unbound, fleeing down that hill while looking back over her shoulder ...
ah, very pretty! altho if it were me, i might want to remember sintra minus grassa...
ReplyDeleteBut rain can create atmosphere never to be achieved by sun. I think that your moment was precious and belongs in your 'rain' memories.
ReplyDelete