We’re getting close to our last days as a family of 3! We decided to do one last photoshoot before baby #2 came. We went to a park nearby, I set up the tripod and did my best to capture our growing family.
Bribery with a lollipop is a necessity.
Surprise Pregnancy Announcement and Gender Reveal!
With our second pregnancy, we kept it to ourselves in the beginning only mentioning it to our families. We decided to announce it to our friends by playing it off as just a normal gathering.
It started off as a normal hang…
This would also be when we would find out the gender. We sent the gender test results to a close friend to get us some cupcakes with colored filling. After a while of eating and chatting, we brought out the gender reveal cupcakes and that’s when the “wait what?” moment happened.
IT’S A BOY!
Last Day in Sintra and Lisbon, Portugal - Day 5
Castelo dos Mouros
On our last day, we had some time in the morning to see the Castelo dos Mouros (Castle of the Moors) before heading back to Lisbon. It is a hilltop medieval castle that was built during the 8th century and is also called The Great Wall of Portugal (it looks like a mini version of the Great Wall of China). There is a really nice walk through the forest to get into the main area.
After getting past the main walls, there are flower lined walkways that take you to the outer wall. Walking along the wall is the main draw of the Castelo dos Mouros.
The Castle of the Moors is built on one of the highest points in the area to protect Sintra from attack
The Pena Palace in the distance
The Pena Palace
Back to Lisbon
We left Sintra in a taxi to head back to Lisbon to check into our last hotel for the trip.
This was our last time to walk around and take in the city.
Praca Luis de Camoes
Royale Cafe
Our last dinner was at Royale Cafe. It got a lot of great reviews and definitely did not disappoint. We sat outside in the small patio in the back and got to enjoy our meal with the great weather.
Ponche and a gin and tonic
Bread cheese
Octopus “a Lagareiro”
Black linguini
Our evening stroll while holding hands
And this ends our first trip with Maddox, which I’ve been calling a multi-city, multi-country international trip. We were able to see London, Paris, Lisbon, and Sintra all in one go. Traveling with a baby means you have to make adjustments to your itinerary and accommodations to make sure your baby is entertained and has enough time for rest as well. Luckily we put in a lot of work and planning to make sure our trip went off without a hitch. Definitely looking forward to our next trip!
Sintra, Portugal - Day 4 - Cabo da Roca
Cabo da Roca
After leaving Quinta da Regaleira, we took a short drive to Cabo da Roca. This cape is the westernmost point of mainland Europe and sits about 140 meters above the Atlantic. Up until the late 14th century, Cabo de Roca was believed to be the edge of the world. Other than a lighthouse, a coffee shop and a gift shop, there’s nothing else but cliffs and ocean views.
The stone monument - “Where the land ends and the sea begins”
Heading south from the lighthouse and the stone monument, there are paths that follow the cliffs. It narrows from a wide paved path into small trails that follow the coastline. It can be a bit steep and windy so be sure to watch your step out here.
Sintra, Portugal - Day 4 - Quinta da Regaleira
It was the day of the wedding, but we had some time in the morning to go see what Sintra had to offer. We grabbed a quick breakfast at the resort and headed out to see the Quinta da Regaleira.
Quinta da Regaleira
Quinta da Regaleira is a palace that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is so much to see at this site including lakes, grottos, wells, fountains, gardens, and a palace. The estate sits on about 4 hectares of land that is filled with trees and footpaths.
Fireplace in the dining room
The living room
Portal of the Guardians
Looking down the Initiation Well
The Initiation Wells are two wells that that resemble underground towers. A winding staircase leads down to underground tunnels and the wells were used for secretive initiation ceremonies.
Initiation Well
Initiation Well
The system of tunnels have multiple entry points that connect the lower entrance of the Initiation Well and the Waterfall.
Lake of the Waterfall
Lake of the Waterfall
Lake of the Waterfall
The top of the Unfinished Well
Unfinished Well
Unfinished Well
Unfinished Well
Looking up the Unfinished Well
Regaleira Tower
You can see the Castelo dos Mouros in the distance
Fountain of Regaleira
