Portugal Vacation Summer 2013

Thursday, August 15, 2013

As promised, I finally got around to uploading all my Portugal vacation pictures!  It was quite the task since I had multiple cameras.  I apologize for not posting any of my regularly scheduled beauty stuff, but I seriously can't get it together!  Between the jet lag, time change, a million loads of laundry, unpacking... well, you get the picture!  Anyway, I hope to get my self back to some sort of routine very soon so that I could get back to my favorite thing in the world.... chatting about beauty.  But for today, I will share with you some images from what was an AMAZING trip!  If you follow me on Instagram, you already had a great preview!  Warning, I'm posting LOTS of pictures!

So lets begin with my most favorite place on earth... Sintra!  Sintra is the most picturesque town I've ever visited.  Everywhere you turn, there's a palace or castle nestled in lush gardens with the most fragrant flowers.  It's a 'real life' Disney World!  The cobble stone streets lead the way to the top of a mountain with the city's crown jewel... the Feather Palace (O Palacio da Pena).  This palace is seriously the most romantic place I've ever been to.  It's purely magical!  We took the cutest trolley to the entrance of the castle.  Once we arrived, we proceeded to walk the grounds.  Each sight was prettier then the previous.  Honestly, it was so cool to see how royalty once lived... from the linens to the china, everything was perfection!  The tile work was truly something special!  Here are a few of the images I capture from our visit to the palace as well as a few other pretty sights from the town of Sintra.






This was a café inside of the palace.  Once you resumed your tour, you could stop there for a refreshment... we totally did!


The picture below is the town of Sintra... isn't it gorgeous?



This is the Chimney Palace.  Pete and I had lunch alone at a pretty little outdoor café overlooking this gorgeous palace.  It was a day I'll never forget!



This fountain was not in the palace grounds.  It was actually in the center of town... it's so pretty!


Our date in Sintra....


Wine, cheese and olives... does it get better then this?  I think NOT!


I SO want to buy this house in Sintra.... isn't it gorgeous?



The next set of pictures are from Lisbon.  Honestly, I'm actually bummed i didn't spend enough time in the actual city of Lisbon.  There's so much to see!  The city is very old but so charming and picturesque.  It's near the water so there are certain portions of the city that have the most incredible view.  The architecture is spectacular!


The picture below was our view from dinner one night... it was at the docks "As Docas" which is essentially a boardwalk on a marina filled with restaurants and night clubs.  The bridge you see is called "Ponte Sobre o Tejo" which we crossed on our way to Algarve.


A famous monument called "The Monument of the Discoveries" nestled in the heart of Lisbon on the water.


Remember the store I couldn't wait to visit in Lisbon?  I found it and it was SPECTACULAR!  I will blog about it soon... it was a beauty junkie's paradise!


A Torre de Belem... "The Tower of Belem" It was a cell phone pic so it's a bit grainy.


We took a drive through the coast of Lisbon... Estoril, Cascais... and this is was one of our stops.  It's called "Boca do Inferno" aka 'Devil's Mouth'. 


I fell madly in love with a little town called Obidos.  This town is built within the walls of it's crown jewel... a castle!  Picture a castle at the top of a hill, with walls draping down the hills and the houses are built within these castle walls.  Each house was more picturesque then the other.  I swear, it's virtually impossible to take a bad picture in Obidos... it's absolutely spectacular!  Unlike anything I've ever seen in my life.  Oh and the shopping is GREAT and inexpensive!













After a delicious lunch in Obidos, we headed to the sanctuary of Fatima... the most sacred place in Portugal.  I've always wanted to go there.  It's a beautifully serene sanctuary.  You see people walking the grounds on their knees making promises and sacrifices.  Quite an intense sight.  We purchased candles, said a little prayer for our family and loved ones and placed them accordingly.  It was beautiful.




For our second week in Portugal, we headed south to Algarve.  Algarve is a mecca for tourism!  There were people vacationing there from all over the world!  It's miles and miles of the most gorgeous beaches.  We rented a beautiful villa (Villa Melanie) in Carvoeiro, Algarve.  This villa had a large in-ground pool complete with the most stunning views of the town.  I fell instantly in love with its Mediterranean architecture.   While in Algarve, we visited Albufeira which is perhaps the busiest section of Algarve.  We also visited Vilamoura which is a bit more upscale and totally my favorite part of Algarve.  Next time we go... yes, God willing there will be a next time, I want to stay there!  The beaches in Algarve are breath taking!  The ocean is turquoise and the sand is soft and fluffy.  However, the ocean water is very, very cold!





Mimi is fabulous!





This was my sister and I at breakfast one day.  She met up with us in Portugal and is now traveling through Italy... I know, I hate her too!  Just kidding, but i'm totally jealous! (Pardon my 'au natural' look... I didn't wear much makeup while in Algarve with the exception of dinner time when we got dressed up to go out).


 And there you have it... my vacation in Portugal.  I will say, the food and wine is amazing here!  The pastries are DIVINE!  And get this... I indulged in foods that I don't typically eat at home and didn't exercise.... and I lost a pound!  Before leaving for vacay, I exercised like crazy, ate right and gained two pounds!  Good lord, I think i'm just gonna follow the 'couch potato' diet and call it a day! Just kidding!  Anyway, I hope you enjoyed all the pictures.  I promise to resume my regularly scheduled beauty blogging stat!  I have SO MUCH to chat about!

Thank you SO MUCH for reading! XOXO Carla - FMM




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