A mixture of styles

Sintra holds the UNESCO World Heritage status and attracts people from all over the world and it is a place we would recommend anyone to visit. While we lived in Portugal we were always in the vicinity of this amazing town and enjoyed over the years discovering the maze of narrow cobblestone streets, castles, palaces and gardens.

Each visit adds to our understanding of the heritage of this location. At the center of this town there is an obvious landmark with two white chimneys, the Palácio Nacional de Sintra which was the functioning royal place until the early 1900's. Originally built under the Moorish rule for sultans summer vacations in the moderate climate of the hills of Sintra, then remodeled and altered by several of its residents of the Portuguese royal family and inevitably becomes a mixture of the Manueline and Ghotic styles with much of its original Arab influences, this building is far more impressive in the inside and it is worth a visit.

Comments

Do you really know how to do that?

This winter in Europe the trend for clothing and other accessories is knitting , it is all over in display at the most popular stores in Germany. This was something we use to see when we were in our teens, the only difference then is, that it was produced by our mothers and grandmothers, today they are made most likely somewhere in a factory in Asia . In a walk downtown Frankfurt, Germany the other day my wife said, "I would like to stop to buy some knitting needles and some wool, I would like to knit a scarf" , with a surprised expression I said, "do you know how to do that?" She replied in a mild tone, "my mom did, and my grandmother as well, and they taught me when I was young" , to which I then somewhat unconvinced I said, "OK... why not!" For next couple of days I saw her knitting at a fast pace and things began quickly to take shape and form, first a base for some plates, next a couple of flowers, then a trendy scarf ju

What about spiritual prosperity?

Miguel & João - Salt Lake City, Oct 2011 Many have looked at prosperity solely from a financial perspective, thus to prosper in this narrow vision of things one looks only to the external signs of wealth and consequently soon after the focus becomes on material possessions or the fix idea of having them. Inevitably this arrangement leads to feelings of envy, greed and selfishness and creates an enormous distance between us and the needs of our fellow men, including our families as time is not allocated any longer to what matters most but to what we want the most. What about spiritual prosperity? A clear understanding that we are children of an Heavenly Father that loves us, that He has a plan of happiness for us which through the atonement of Jesus Christ and our faithfulness allows us to return to Him, and an understanding that He gave us commandments to help us face the adversities of life will guide us to a path of gratitude for everything we have, even when

Spring in Winter

The other day I took the time to walk by a lake, it was a glorious day, the air was fresh and clean, the water was calm, the trees were serene, the light was bright and clear, it felt like a spring day to me, yet it was the winter season. I took my jacket for a while and enjoyed the scenery and the mild sunshine and as I was walking I thought to myself that in the course of life, at times we go through difficult moments, but even then, when we stay close to the principles we know to be true, and remain faithful to them, we will see in our lives spring days during our winter seasons! As I reviewed the teachings of last General Conference I thought of the the following counsel as I reflected upon this matter: "If we, like President Monson, exercise our faith and look to God for help, we will not be overwhelmed with the burdens of life" - Elder Carl B. Cook. "It is essential that we are able to face - with courage - whatever challenges come our way"

Family Snippets

Search This Blog