Maybe you remember that just a little over a week ago I was in Portugal for Spring Break. The thing is given how busy I've been this past week, it's hard for me to remember that 10 days ago I was exploring an entirely different country. These days it seems like I've always lived in Sofia.

[caption id="attachment_4721" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Gardens!"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4721" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4721"><img class="size-large wp-image-4721 " title="Gardens!" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_7450-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

But it turns out that I have some really beautiful photos which prove that I was in Portugal and took a day trip to this incredible little town called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sintra">Sintra</a>. A town my guidebook called "the summer retreat of Portugal's kings." It's not a town that will let you down or disappoint you.

[caption id="attachment_4719" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="View from upper street in Sintra"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4719" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4719"><img class="size-large wp-image-4719 " title="View from upper street in Sintra" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_7389-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

While a guidebook can give you plenty of names, dates and funny little stories they can never however do justice to the beauty of a place. In spring, the nature surrounding Sintra was a multitude greens. I couldn't get enough of it.

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Lord Byron apparently also dug Sintra. I can see why.

[caption id="attachment_4720" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Main Street of Sintra"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4720" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4720"><img class="size-large wp-image-4720 " title="Main Street of Sintra" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_7408-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

There are two great castles/palaces--the National Palace and Pena Palace--in and around the city. While climbing the hill to the second palace--Pena--for the first time in my entire life I wondered: what makes a building a castle? and what makes a building a palace?

[caption id="attachment_4722" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Fairy-tale Castle "]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4722" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4722"><img class="size-large wp-image-4722 " title="Fairy-tale Castle " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_7503-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

I think it's okay to wonder these things as an American. It's not like we do palaces or castles in America.

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But do you want to know who does palaces well? The Portuguese.

[caption id="attachment_4723" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="More Castle "]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4723" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4723"><img class="size-large wp-image-4723 " title="More of the Pena Palace " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_7554-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

The Pena Palace is amazing and I bet that Prince Ferdinand who built the palace was also amazing. I told my Portuguese friends that I wanted him to be my dad so that I could live in that palace. They told me that I probably didn't want him as my dad. I trust them on this one because, well, they know more Portuguese history than I do.

[caption id="attachment_4724" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="View from the Palace to the Atlantic Ocean"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4724" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4724"><img class="size-large wp-image-4724 " title="View from the Castle to the Atlantic Ocean" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_7517-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

They also know where to buy the best pastries in Sintra. That's why it's important to have friends who are locals.
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[caption id="attachment_4753" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Pastries in Sintra"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4753" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4753"><img class="size-large wp-image-4753 " title="Pastries in Sintra" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_7576-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

They also knew that we should try ginjinha a sweet sour-cherry liquor in a chocolate cup.  Yum. Yum.

[caption id="attachment_4754" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Drinking Ginjinha"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-4754" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4754"><img class="size-large wp-image-4754 " title="Drinking Ginjinha" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/IMG_7579-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]