sé de lisboa e castelo de são jorge

Although I returned back to the States about two weeks ago (it was with the greatest of reluctance, to be quite honest!), I've been so busy trying to resuscitate myself from my post-holiday state—it took me nearly three days to completely get over my jet lag, can you believe that?—and diving back into work and sorting out some life decisions. Although these blog posts will be extremely backdated, I don't mind at all because that's the second best part of being on holiday—reliving my wonderful experiences and sights through photos and writing. Of course, those are a pale imitation of actually seeing and experiencing the real thing, but it'll suffice for now until I go back! :)

The Lisbon Cathedral or the Sé de Lisboa, is the oldest cathedral in Lisbon. The fact that it was first built in approximately 1147 blows my mind—as an American, I'm awed at buildings that are two hundred years old—and there are still on-going excavations for the literal layers of history underneath the enormous building, as the church had been rebuilt over and over again due to earthquakes. Portugal's history is unique due to the Moorish invasions and Arab influences are still prevalent in Portuguese culture. The architecture of the Sé de Lisboa is wonderful blend of different distinct styles: romantic, gothic, baroque, and neoclassic. Of course, as it's a Roman Catholic cathedral, as you walk along the tall open-air corridors, there are a lot of Catholic art, relics, statues, as well as tombs of saints and other such important people.

American Apparel circle skirt (similar here, here), H&M spike necklace (similar here, here) & cuff (similar here, here), Nasty Gal leather wrap bracelet (similar here, here), ALDO tennis shoes (similar here, here), Nordstrom bag (similar here, here)

Being from California, I've never actually seen a real castle before, at least, not an authentic one. So when Raquel, my wonderful tour guide for the entirely of Lisbon, asked if I wanted to see it, my answer was along the lines of: "No way! A real castle?!" The Castelo de São Jorge, dedicated to Saint George by Portugal's King John I, was quite the walk to get to, as the castle/fortress is strategically placed atop a hill overlooking Lisbon. This tall sprawling building is approximated to have been built in the 2nd century AD and although many groups (the Celtics, Greeks, Phoenicians, and more) have settled in this area, the Moorish and Muslims predominantly used it as a defense post. Like the Lisbon Cathedral, archaeologists are continually excavating and discovering new and exciting evidence about the people that lived here hundreds of years ago. The castle is built in a very medieval fashion: very geometric in its solid square blocks made of all stone. Like the cathedral, the castle is open air, with extremely steep steps (well, steep for myself and my fellow petite bestie) to each turret and tower. As the castle was built on a hill overlooking the entirety of Lisbon, of course there's a stunning view, courtesy of the panoramic function on my phone:

This is pretty much only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to blog summations of my Europe trip, so if you're so inclined, stay tuned for the rest of it! xx

Photos by myself and Raquel Espada