... heading toward our destination for night... O & M had never been to this town, so this journey was truly an unknown for all of us. The town of Castello Branco was our next stop to see the famed and unusual Jardim Episcopal (Episcopal Garden) next to the former bishop's palace in town. The garden was created in the 18th century, is very formal in its layout and has many statues. Statues of various styles and characters abound - saints, apostles, lions, monarchs, kings and cherubs line the hedges and staircases. I am sure the garden is alive with color as many more flowers are in bloom in the spring and summer time, but now in the wintertime, the oranges were plentiful on the trees and the Lily pond with daffodils were in bloom.
Please come walk with me and take in some of the beauty of this place...
Blue Portuguese tile mosaics greet you in the lower garden as you enter the gate.
Kings and rulers
The Apostles line a staircase with Peter at the top holding the keys.
Paul, the defender of the faith
The orange trees were full!
Indeed an incredible place to visit, walk, think, and of course take pictures! We have seen gardens at palaces and huge estates, this one in the middle of the city was as lovely as any we have seen.
A sweet little cherub statue, holding a sign designating one of the months of the year.
After a wonderful time in the gardens, we decided we would find a cafe and enjoy an afternoon coffee and tea together, but after driving in a circle through the same streets several times and not finding a parking space or even a parking lot, we found ourselves heading up the highway once again, toward Castelo Novo, our destination for the night.
Little did we know what we would find in Castelo Novo!!! Stay tuned...
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