Did I ever tell you about the time I broke my ankle falling in a well used for Free Mason initiation rituals?
OK, to clarify, I fell inside the well not into the well. But here is the whole (long) story. I hope you can find some entertainment in my misfortune.
Earlier this week my niece, Jamie, and I went to Quinta da Regaleira after a leisurely morning of hiking. The Quinta da Regaleira is a vast estate in Sintra. I would love to tell you more about the palace, chapel and surrounding park filled with lakes, fountains, wells and paths. But, unfortunately, our tour was ended prematurely by my injury so we didn’t get to see that much of it. Here is a link with information about the estate and below you will find a few of the pictures of our first 30 injury-free minutes.
One of the most interesting attractions at Quinta da Regaleira is a pair of wells. The ‘Initiation Wells’ or ‘Inverted Towers’ was one of the main draws to visit. They, along with the entire estate, contain symbolic carvings associated with Masonry, the Knights of Templar and the Rosicrucians. It is suggested that the wells were the site of Free Mason initiation rites. The wells descend below ground and are described by one source as being an “architectural metaphor for Dante’s Inferno”. They also lead to an underground tunnel system linking several areas of the gardens. This link has additional information about the wells and some beautiful pictures.
The Unfinished Well, the smaller of the two, was the site of my accident. I fell after descending the first flight of stairs at one of the wells. In retrospect, I am incredibly thankful I didn’t fall at the bottom of the well! Sources (Jamie) claim that my fall was accompanied by a sound of surprise, followed by a whimper of pain, then a declaration that I suspected that my ankle was broken. Jamie, with her polished Search and Rescue skills, remained calm. She helped ensure that I was able to move out of the path of other tourists and we called Rich to request an expedited pick-up. Then she set out to find a park staff member to help me get to the park entrance. But before she left, she made sure I got a picture so I wouldn’t go home empty handed without a photo in the well. I do wonder what bystanders must have though watching her take a picture of me on the ground.
Jamie in the well (how is should be done):
Me at the scene of the crime:
For what seemed like a long time, I sat at the top of the well alone waiting for Jamie. Until the ice pack arrived, I suppose that it looked like I had just selected an inconvenient place to take a break. Although my crossed legs give off a relaxed vibe, I assure you that this was the most comfortable opposition to relieve pressure on my ankle or foot. I also took this opportunity to text my sister-in-law who also recently broke her ankle and to graced the background of as many tourists’ photos as possible. (Why is that woman lounging on the ground in the back of your picture?)
Unfortunately, the park had no way of transporting me and insisted on calling an ambulance. Apparently this happens fairly frequently. I couldn’t help but feel that the response seemed rather excessive as we listened to the siren winding up the streets and paths toward us and watched responders unload from two vehicles. The extremely kind members of the fire department placed me in a splint and transported me to the ambulance.
We then were escorted to the hospital about 30 minutes away. Jamie was able to accompany me on this first class tour which also included an attempt to teach us some Portuguese. In retrospect, I am sure I could have found an easier way to provide her with a unique experience in Portugal.
I am now convinced that no medical tour of the area would be complete without a visit to a public emergency department. We contacted a new local friend who is a doctor and he advised us to avoid this hospital. He suggested a different location or a private hospital (a sentiment that was echoed several times by the staff at the hospital). But we were not given the option of going elsewhere. So, we arrived at a worn, overcrowded emergency department where we were surrounded by security guards and people who appeared to be in much worse shape than I. It was a humbling experience that made me thankful to only have a minor injury.
The entire visit took approximately 4 hours and involved being wheeled on a stretcher from place to place and waiting in crowded hallways. Sick, tired, and bleeding patients on stretchers and wheelchairs lined the halls with obvious disregard for patient comfort or fire-safety codes. At one point a mop fell from a cleaning cart, falling dangerously close to my broken ankle.
After x-rays we were wheeled down the hall to the orthopedic room. Inside, there were 2 desks for physicians to see patients. My attending physician was accompanied by 4 residents. One of the residents must not have been impressed with my minor fracture, because she appeared to be asleep for much of the appointment. All of them were kind, spoke some English and had the privilege of wearing jeans to work. They diagnosed a small fracture and provided me with a cast.
In a surprising twist, I spent the last hour of my stay waiting for a pair of pants. I had removed my pants prior to placing the cast (because they would not be able to be removed after the cast was on) and had to wait for scrub bottoms before I was approved for discharge. I was rolled back out to the hallway with a blanket where I sat for an hour wondering if they forgot about me and contemplating leaving in the sheet. Except that I couldn’t go anywhere on my own, so my escape plan was unlikely to be sucessful.
Eventually we were discharged. The entire bill for the hospital service came to 5.10 €. We did have another bill for the ambulance ride (101.91 €) and medications but were still extremely thankful for the affordability of the care. And although the hospital was chaotic, the experience was certainly memorable! Our travel in the near future will be a bit slower and less adventurous. Some of our activities are outlined below.
Post-Injury Activities
Difficulty: Easy if the “seated step-by-step” method is utilized (recommended for beginners)
Distance: Long (3rdfloor bedroom)
Hazards: Stairs
Points of interest:Rest stop at first landing, erotic artwork at second landing
Supplies: Backpack with everything you might need so you don’t have to make the trek again unnecessarily
Alternative: Modify this journey from “easy” to “very easy” by riding on your spouse’s back (However, it should be noted that this alternative method is designated as “difficult” for the carrier).
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: Short
Hazards: 2 rugs, 1 glass table, dog
Points of interest: None
Supplies: Laptop, phone/camera (optional)
Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult
Distance: Moderate
Hazards: Slippery tile, wet floor, multiple corners, lack of handrails, unstable decorative bamboo
Points of interest: Decorative bamboo
Supplies: Shampoo
Difficulty: High
Distance: Too far
Hazards: Stone streets, uneven surfaces, hills, curbs, ending sidewalks, construction, cars, pedestrians …
Points of interest: Chair provided for rest at tea shop
Supplies: Patient companions
Preparing for a treck upstairs.
2 Comments
Elicia
Quinta da Regaleira looks like a beautiful place when your not having to be wheeled out of it! I love getting to read you blog posts! Hopefully the ankle heals up soon!
Sara
Thank you. It was beautiful. Thankfully, I got my very own virtual tour with Jamie’s pictures when she returned a few days later to complete her tour.