April 2026
- Stella
- May 17
- 6 min read
Did you know Lisbon burned for 5 days in 1755?
Where do I even begin... Let's see, remember when, in last month's wrap-up, I mentioned a stasis? A sense of loss of passion and motivation?
Well, it was time to change that whole narrative. 4 months into the new year and my 'mindset reset' had yet to be activated (you know, that whole new year, new me thing where we push through for the first half of the year and then pray for it to end on the second?). I didn't just know it was time for change; I also craved it. I longed for something more than an inescapable routine, followed by an amounting sense of self doubt and resignation.
So, as every self respecting Sagittarius would do, I grabbed my passport and a suitcase and flew to a friend's house in Lisbon, Portugal.
My trip in a nutshell:
Lisbon, Day 1-2
A drink under the sun and then another, until the shoulders dropped with ease and the tongue became untangled. I will be honest, I've never had a sangria like the one from the LX Garden. It was either the sun or the music that somehow added a little something to the recipe. My lungs filled with air that seemed clearer than the air back home. There was a spark.
The Art & Fashion exhibit at the Centre of Modern Art (CAM) was next. We waited in line for 2 hours on a Sunday evening, and we walked into a room with the most bedazzling of clothes. Dresses & costumes inspired by different cultures lined the walls, oil paintings and vintage furniture turned an otherwise dull interior into a true artistic masterpiece. I am not the biggest fashion enthusiast, but those fabrics and designs stole my heart the moment I laid eyes upon them. I have so many pictures, but I will show you my favourites.
If you plan to visit the city in the upcoming months, the exhibition will run until June 21st, and on Sundays admission is FREE after 14:00.
Lisbon, Day 5
We went on a palace tour! After a little bit of research, I knew I couldn't leave the country without experiencing some of the country's history. My friend and I went on an organised, 1-day tour.
3 destinations and the most magnificent views.
Cabo da Roca
The westernmost point in the European continent, inland, at least. The Atlantic stretches for as far as the eye can see, wild and unpredictable, just like in the stories of old. It was m,y first time meeting the ocean and listening to its song and certainly not the last.
My imagination ran wild, seeing pirate ships battling in the distance and sirens leaping out of the waters to defend the men they'd sang for the previous night. That's not how most legends go, but in my novel, songs are promises one cannot break...
Quinta da Regaleira
A true jewel of architecture and a new core memory. Regaleira has hosted theatrical plays, secret society gatherings and initiation rituals since its construction was finished in 1910. The owner, António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro, was a Brazilian-Portuguese businessman, renowned entomologist and Freemason. He was also an avid reader, with one book in particular captivating him so much that you can find references all around Regaleira.
Dante's Divine Comedy inspired the Initiation Well and many of the rituals and challenges that took place in the estate. Number 9 plays a very important role in this story, as does the water element and the connections between the earthly and the divine.
If you are to know anything about me, know that when history meets the occult, information becomes as vital to me as air. I was mesmerised by the lore of the estate, and I'm currently diving into its secrets. Surprisingly, this visit was something like a divine intervention for me, since I've recently decided to dip my toes into Classical Literature (a daunting venture indeed). I bet you can tell what my next read is.
Pena Palace
The tale of this palace turned from a love story to the last residence of the last royal family of Portugal, really quickly. We walked all the way up the hill, passed through the front gates and were met with the most breathtaking scenery. The exterior wall loops around the property, allowing visitors to gaze at the expanse of forests below until green meets blue on the horizon. The interior was lavish and well kept, with antiques not only from Europe, but Asia as well.
Despite the brief tour, while gazing at the porcelains from China and what I believe to be wooden statues from the Ottoman Empire, a question popped into my mind. Were I part of the royal family, spending most of spring and summer in this palace, standing alone on a hill far away from any city, with luxury and comfort surrounding me and only gossip to keep me somewhat interested in the life outside those walls, would I be the kind of person I am?
Would I be kind, caring, and willing to help those in need, or would that estrangement from reality have turned me into one of the names in a history book associated with indifference, apathy, or worse, cruelty?
That question will be carefully tucked somewhere at the back of my head until one of my projects needs me to turn it into a lifelong character quest.
Now, about the question on top: did you know Lisbon burned for 5 days in 1755? Well, I certainly didn't. And the story behind that fire is incredibly interesting!
All Saint's Day, 1755. 300 km away from the shore, tectonic plates move, causing a 6min long earthquake that devastated the city. Within the hour came the tsunami, 6 meters tall and unforgiving. The candles and hearths that were not swallowed by earth or sea ignited a flame that burned for 5 days, taking with it what was left of the city.
The truly devastating disaster claimed the lives of many and it took decades to repair and rebuild what was lost.
If you want more details about it, you can visit Hakai Magazine here!
Fully refreshed and a little more optimistic, I feel like this is a very good start for tackling tasks I have been putting off for months. Priority no.1 -and the most daunting one of all- be honest with myself and what I want to do in the workplace. Fingers crossed i will have an answer by the end of May.
(in which I share my writing progress)
I did not count the exact number of words, yet I am very happy with the progress I made in:
Writer's Friday upcoming stories
Sirens WIP
New project, I can't share much about
Another new project I am still trying to figure out👀
I have too many ideas to write down and seemingly too little time to do it. The excitement that comes with creating something new, along with an extra mug of coffee, is all I need, though!
(in which I recap what I read, watched, witnessed this month)
This section will change format. I will keep it simple and a little more organised, so it feels less daunting for me to write, and less boring for you to read!
Here are all the things I finished or started this month:
🎬Frankenstein (2025) - 10/10, magnificet performances and incredible camera work
🎬Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse - 10/10, why on earth did I take so long to watch it? Stunning just like the 1st movie, and I definitely want to see the 3rd in cinemas!
🎬Madame Web - 4/10, an okayish movie that could have done much better if the script had been better written.
🎬Rebel Moon 1 & 2 - 5/10, watched them back to back, really enjoyed the performances, but I am not a big fan of incomplete franchises.
📺 All of Us are Dead - 8/10, watched with a friend and we were genuinely surprised by how good the acting and the script were (we didn't have high hopes for a zombie series😅). Will come back for season 2.
📖The Picture of Dorian Gray - currently reading, found this amazing edition from Wordsworth Editions, and I had to get it! So far, I am intrigued.
🧵I have never talked about my craft project here and that is such a shame! I began this piece 5 years ago (geez, I know) and back in December decided to finish it within the year! It is my first embroidery work and when I started it, I thought it'd be cool if I did it on a painting canvas. Not a wise choice, for many reasons, but I will see it to the end! I will post a monthly progress from now on, until the whole piece is complete.
That's it for this month, thank you for reading this far! I hope April was a month that helped you see your life in a new light. Let's see what the next one brings!
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