I have a habit when I travel, I don’t just look at the places, I try them on. Not literally (though I did wedge myself into a few medieval doorways), but in the sense of stepping into the shoes of whoever came before.
The thing is, I’m tall. Which means most of these old arches and doors were not made with me in mind. While I have to duck, I can’t help but imagine all the generations who did the same. Clearly, low doorways were the fashion statement of the day.
On a carved chair in front of a sweeping tiled mural, I sat back and thought, this must have been where the queen held court. So I decided to play along , all that was missing was a line of subjects ready to kiss my hand.
I even discovered that in some eras women shaved their heads to signal their superiority of intellect. Imagine that , instead of crowning glory, it was bare scalp as the ultimate power move. I’m not sure it would catch on today, but I admire the confidence.
And under one particularly elaborate arch, I pictured the builders and artists who created it centuries ago. I wonder if they would laugh to see me squeezing through, scarf flying, imagining myself as part of their story.
That’s the fun of travel for me. It’s not about ticking sights off the list. It’s about ducking under arches, leaning into the quirks, and laughing at the thought that maybe, just maybe, I belong in these places after all.
Note; These photos were taken at the castle in Sintra, where every doorway, chair and arch feels like it still has a story to tell.
#TryingOnHistory #TravelWithHumour #TallTraveller #SteppingIntoThePast #TravelQuirks #Sintra #Portugal