Mateus Palace

after couple of rainy cold weeks, we finally got few days of sunshine.

That's why I've decided to overcome my laziness and climbed out of bed this morning, determined to finally walk all the way to Mateus Palace.

At first I didn't want to go, because we have exams and school projects and you have to pay to go there. 

But I'm glad I went.

 the palace itself isn't very big, and even though I 'm sure it's stunning inside, today was too nice to lounge in dusty drawing-rooms and libraries. I went to the gardens instead.

 they still had some grapes out there and for the first hour I was completely alone.

 and they sell home-made jam in a cute gift-shop, all kinds of flavors, beautifully packed, made from local fruits.

 every part of the garden was different. They have small labyrinths which reminded me greatly of Alice in Wonderland, and tunnels of weirdly twisted trees - where the wild things are...

 and it felt like re-discovering Narnia after thousands of years have passed.

I wonder who was she, if it's a statue of real person, if she was sad...now she just seemed at peace with the destiny.

when I'll have my own garden one day, it will be full of these...

if you ever get to Vila Real, or somewhere close, go visit the gardens of Mateus Palace. It's worth every cent of those 6 euros you'll have to pay :)