Once upon a time I sang in a choir. We had one public performance
that went so bad that it was our last. We were "Choralis
Bestialis".
This cache will take you to the old wash house in Queluz. It has
been converted into the rehersal room for the Choir of Queluz
(Grupo Coral de Queluz).
You might get lucky and hear them sing sometime. They practice
every Tuesday and Thursday at 9 PM.
For an extra laugh, go to
N 38° 45.068
W 009° 15.503
And see the statue dedicated to Queen Mary.
The history behind this monument is quite amusing (the palace
has an amusing history too, but this one is better). Aparentely
Queen Mary's was intended for Largo da Estrela, in Lisbon (right in
front of the Estrela Basilic that Queen Mary had built), but in
some strange twist of fate it came to Queluz. The four statues that
surround it, representing the Wolrld (Africa, America, Asia e
Europe) where at the crossing between Liberdade Avenue and
Alexandre Herculano Street and were placed in Queluz following the
broadening of the avenue. The statue was ordered in 1794 by
Intendente Pina Manique to José João Aguiar. The statue isn't
signed, so we dond't know for sure if the project is his. In 1803
it came to Lisbon, since it was sculpted in Italy. Part of the set
was placed on the liberdade Avenue and the Queen was stored
somewhere. Finally, in 1940 the whole set came to its final
location.
It's quite easy to guess which one is the african statue (on
acount of the elephant's head) but as to the others there are
different opinions (I think the american statue has the
quiver).
At this location you will see an optical ilusion... if you could
tell me what the statue on the left seems to be doing (its possible
that you have to walk around a bit to get the right alignment), you
will receive bonus points.