Time Is A Purchase

Sintra - first impressions

A small town at the edge of Lisbon metropolitan area that has a story to tell. The royals’ favorite the Portuguese and foreign ones, inspiration for artists and number one destination today’s travelers in Portugal. Sintra holds the country’s most iconic castles that will stand out from the rest of the world’s royal palaces.

Castelo dos Mouros and Sintra 

It was thanks to the royal family of Portugal who’d been chanted by Sintra mountains, fountains and the ocean around them for thousands of years. Many of the palaces served as ”holiday cottages” for several royal families during centuries. The most recognizable ones stand on top of the mountains,” of the moons” they used to call them in the ancient times and worth of every step you take uphill. The Palació de Pena used to be a monastery dating from Middle Ages and is today one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The transformation from a monastery into this colorful candy palace took place in 19th century by Prince Ferdinand. The castle has been forgotten and abandoned in between the centuries as impossible as it sounds. How can someone forget something so colorful, stands on top of the mountain and can be seen as far from Lisbon in a clear weather! The last Queen of Portugal spent her last night in the country in this very palace. Since Portugal turned into a republic the castle has been serving the public as a museum. Architecturally the palace has wide range of styles in it and can be divided into four sections which all enlighten its historical past.

Palació de Pena

Castle of Moors which no one quite knows where it started. Dating somewhat from the 8th and 9th centuries from the Muslim era, it is part of Sintra national landscape and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The original idea of it was to protect the capital as the country. It holds the best views I’ve seen in Portugal so far. Some people don’t appreciate it cause it’s just ”the walls” but it’s great to take steps somewhere as this historical and pass all the flags of Portugal that have represented the nation during 900 years.

There are bus connections up there you know. Or you can take a taxi or tuktuk of course. Or do it like I do walk all the way up and down and die pretty much after the 5 hour adventure. Or I might have been just out of shape since we’re not exactly talking about Mont Blanc or Everest here just a few hundreds of meters going uphill. If you happen to be in Lisbon in the summer don’t miss the chance to visit Sintra. But if you can, wait since you’ll be making the experience so much more pleasant with less tourists during the winter season.

Some of my favourite houses found on my way up to the mountain

The reputation as a fairytale is highlighted by the forests and gardens around these two castles. Take an hour or two while getting lost in them. They also offer a cool shade during a hot day. Sintra holds more castles also but I haven’t visited them yet so don’t bother to write about something I haven’t experienced myself. Sintra’s small town is also an UNESCO World Heritage Site but didn’t think much of it. Except that it’s super small. Along the streets and in the parks folks sell all sorts local products. Some would say they’re touristic junk but I definitely refer them as worth stopping for!

In case you’re not into the enchanted castles you can always hop on the bus to the most Western point of Europe Capo da Roca. The bus ride for an 1 hour was quite nice driving along the small Portuguese roads through small villages. The actual spot which stands as the westernmost point is quite small but there seems be to a lovely looking natural park surrounding it. Didn’t fancy much of a taking a stroll on a super windy winter day so that’s yet to be discovered. But for someone who comes from a country with lakes and as flat as Finland – the rocks and that gigantic ocean was a powerful view. Knowing that the next spot of dry land is thousands of miles away. It was a place to be experienced with all senses: feel the strong wind coming from the ocean, hear the powerful noise of the waives rushing to hit the rocks and see all of that with your own eyes.

Estonian doors.. 

4 days!!!! 

Been taking this small tours every weekend around Lisbon. This was the first at Azenhas do Mar, super cloudy day but scenery was gorgeous nonetheless! First part of the many to come btw! 

SHE uguale a lei

SO I’m breaking the silence by dedicating this entire post to an artist whom I could almost talk about like an old friend. And in a way she is. One of her songs became the title of this blog and I'm naming every post by a sentence from the lyrics of her songs, translated in English of course. It might be foolish and sometimes it's difficult too but..call me crazy pausiniana. Her 20 – Greatest Hits-release is the album I’ve been looking forward to this entire fall.

Most of the true fans of any artist usually hate these kinds of releases cause they usually include only a little of unreleased material if any. But Laura Pausini is different. Instead of just getting all her hits together and releasing the whole thing out just as it is, she made the effort of re-working to the old songs, updating their sounds and making new collaborations. For me it wasn’t the new tracks I was waiting for but the old ones. There are some songs which may not be her best-known work but they tell a story about the woman behind the artist and which in my opinion represent also the best of her career. She has included some very personal stuff for example her very first recording as a two-year-old and her daughter saying “mamma” for the very first time. They won’t increase the sales but it’s touching how she wanted to share such personal memories with us.

She isn’t just an artist whose songs entertain me in various moments. The songs which I used to adore already at a very young age but without being able to truly indetifying the lyrics on an emotional level, I’ve found them again in all kinds of situations of my life as I grew up. They’ve accompanied me when I’ve made big decisions, lost people, lived life-changing experiences or simply in the dullest moments of my everyday life.  

Resta in Ascolto live in 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbX7UyL-8SM

Listening to the new compilation album.. for me it was a journey through years, memories and songs. It does tell a story, hers and maybe a bit of mine as well. 2014 is my 20th anniversary with her. I still remember the times spent listening to her music from her album “Laura” as a 7-year-old, without knowing where she was from or what language she was singing in. I remember being fascinated by her voice, language which I didn’t know at a time and her beauty shown in the booklet. I remember how I didn’t know anyone else who’ve liked her music too and how no one seemed to understand (and some still don’t) why she touched me so deeply and still continues to do so.

(My very first Laura Pausini album: her 2nd one in Italian "Laura" 1994 and autograph from 2012 which I got in London)

It wasn’t until 2006 that I became a member of the official fan club. It was the best money I ever paid. I may have joined in for Laura but the reason why I am still a member is the people I’ve met and friends I’ve made over the years. Everything else is an extra. From the very first moment entering the Laura4u website and the forum I loved the the feeling of being a part of a community. I remember spending hours and hours in the forum, writing posts, sharing opinions about Laura but also about life in general. Making some of the best friends of my life.

Finally I had found people who resembled and understood me. There are people who I’ve never met in person but who know me inside and out.  Being a Laura Pausini-fan is so much more than just listening to her music and going to her concerts. I’ve done great things in great places with the greatest people in the world. She is also the reason why I discovered the beauty of Italian and Spanish languages.

Prendo te (2004) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PFqU08zL4I

On the DVD “My story” available in deluxe version of GH (which I highly recommend for everyone) she goes down the memory lane by visiting her old school and the house where she grew up, introducing friends and people who’ve been essential part of “her community” over the years.

She shares the memories along the way with the same enthusiasm as they had happened yesterday; how she came to collaborate and make friends with Phil Collins, how Jim Carrey was so sure of her success in US market that he even jokingly offered to marry her himself just to get her the Green Card. After all the millions of records being sold I admire her honesty, even about the things that might not be the most positive ones. She openly tells how she’s always been afraid of ending up alone, how she struggled to make a change in her musical style for her fourth album La mia risposta/ Mi respuesta in 1998 after her record company wasn’t happy with the sales of her previous release (whaaat?!? #shocked) and how she admits making mistakes with her English language album “From the inside” released back in 2002. In the liner notes of the booklet, there’s a story shared of each and every 38 songs on the album. And the first thing you see when you open the cover is this:

It’s so easy to love her, isn’t it?

When asked which song or album or even a live album I’d play for one, who’s never heard of Laura’s music before. It’s an impossible task. Even writing this post was full of tough choices.. which stuff to bring up and which ones to leave out. My favourites are mostly from the last decade but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love the music she’s released before that. And no studio recording can do her justice compared to what she’s like while performing live. Every release brings up different sides of her and has its songs and stories I’d love people to discover about her.

I hope with this post, pics and vids shared I've managed to show you even a little bit of her beauty as an artist and as a person but also to open up a bit what it means to be a "pausiniana" to me.

Con la musica alla radio (2013 version) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PHfcaoDQFU

More information: http://www.laurapausini.com/eng/

5 days

As my Portuguese adventure approaches (6 nights left to sleep in Finland) I made a short list of things what to expect my life to be in Portugal. Probably things won’t turn out this way but I’ll let you know how it went. This is how I feel NOW. 

I tried to create a positive list that reflects my interests. So don’t be disappointed not to find out the impressive numbers of how many corks the country produces or how many sunny days does it have in a year. Because those are not the reasons why I’m moving to Lisbon. 

(any of these photos are mine - since I haven’t been able to take them yet!)

UNDERSTAND

The history of Portugal and Lisbon. Being one of the oldest nations, countries and cities in Europe I expect the old times to be present all around me. In the architecture, the way people are, in the language...

Portugal was the first country to descriminalise the use of all drugs in 2001. And apparently the numbers of addicts etc. have gone down since then.

Portugal was one of the countries that the recent economical crisis’ have hit hard. Since then the figures have improved and been going up but still Portugal is still considered a poor country.

Things will happen SLOWLY. Also the matter of times when people say to meet at 5pm this doesn’t mean 5pm but 30min or more later.

SEE

Street art. Lisbon seems to be very colorful and ”arty” and free what comes to creating the art.

LEARN

Portuguese and to be able to communicate with over 200 million people in the world.

EAT

Great food. Apparently a lot of fish. Wine obviously. Good coffee! Ice cream on the other hand I have not very high expectations.

DO

Excercise. Lisbon is being built on several hills (still not sure is it 7 or 8, I keep reading different figures) so discovering my new city will go for a work out untill I get my gym membership going on.

Travelling. As one of the most greatest travel destinations in the world I expect to see a wide range of pretty amazing things while living in Portugal.

(the red forest in Sintra)

FEEL

Warm. Portugal has the warmest winters even thou they can include cool winds and quite heavy rain. But when compared to Finnish/Canadian winters I’ll be fine. 

Safe. Portugal has been rated as the 5th peaceful countries in the world and even though no stranger to crimes – with a use of a common sense you should survive without being mugged, raped, beated up or murdered. Just don’t wave around your wallet, jewellery, expensive camera etc. in a “come and get me” like. Check out the areas where NOT to go alone/in the night and don’t get too drunk. Or so I’ve been told.

EXPERIENCE

Fado – music. The poetic, melancholic tunes that seem to express the most deepest emotions of the nation. Similar to the one that swept Europe of its feet at Eurovision. 

Portuguese CouchSurfing community.

Lower cost of living. But this doesn’t mean  that I expect to have tons of money but compared to Finland for example, things will be cheaper for me.

MEET

Shy but friendly people. They apparently have pretty good English language skills also which will help me ‘till I get my portuguese skills up to date. 

International spirits at the office as outside of it. This doesn’t mean not-portuguese but people with an open mind. 

No judgement but my dreams might be just a bit different from yours.  

Last fall. Home.

Azenhas do Mar part II