Day 10: Cuenca to Valencia
Disclaimer: All voyages in this blog are being taken safely in the comfort of our imaginations - based on our plans and intentions for travel in 2020. What is reality after all?
Day 10 already! How time passes in the isolation of travel.
We trekked up the hill in Cuenca's old town and picked up the car up from the parking lot, and headed out from Cuenca. With no real time pressure (one way or the other), we decided to turn off the main road towards Valencia to see a natural site that we're visited many years ago: Las Torcas:
These are collapsed sink-holes, where the land has been undermined by erosion; possible they were once cave systems that have fallen in on themselves. There are several of them, set in a pine forest. Some present great cliffs:
while others have filled with water:
In season, apparently there are waterfalls coming off the higher lands into the depressions. They were much larger than we remember them ... or maybe we're getting confused with smaller versions around the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia (where they're called dolina).
Anyway, they are relatively accessible without getting too far from the car, and worth a brief visit.
We drove on through increasingly flat country, eventually rejoining the main road:
with the scenery broken only by the inevitable dammed river gorges:
and finally arrived in Valencia, where we were/are staying with our friends Mike and Maria.
As we turned into their street, we were greeted by the sight of the huge eucalyptus tree opposite their building:
We'd found our new home easily:
parked in their garage:
and lifted our way up to the top floor apartment:
where we were greeted by Mike:
and shown to our sitting area on the terrace:
Next door, the neighbour was busy preparing for the visit of the grandchildren:
In these times, you need to ensure everything is very clean.
The nearby beach was pretty quiet - and clean:
so we retreated back to the apartment, to catch up with years of gossip and prepare for the next few hectic days.
Day 10 already! How time passes in the isolation of travel.
We trekked up the hill in Cuenca's old town and picked up the car up from the parking lot, and headed out from Cuenca. With no real time pressure (one way or the other), we decided to turn off the main road towards Valencia to see a natural site that we're visited many years ago: Las Torcas:
These are collapsed sink-holes, where the land has been undermined by erosion; possible they were once cave systems that have fallen in on themselves. There are several of them, set in a pine forest. Some present great cliffs:
while others have filled with water:
In season, apparently there are waterfalls coming off the higher lands into the depressions. They were much larger than we remember them ... or maybe we're getting confused with smaller versions around the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia (where they're called dolina).
Anyway, they are relatively accessible without getting too far from the car, and worth a brief visit.
We drove on through increasingly flat country, eventually rejoining the main road:
with the scenery broken only by the inevitable dammed river gorges:
and finally arrived in Valencia, where we were/are staying with our friends Mike and Maria.
As we turned into their street, we were greeted by the sight of the huge eucalyptus tree opposite their building:
We'd found our new home easily:
parked in their garage:
and lifted our way up to the top floor apartment:
where we were greeted by Mike:
and shown to our sitting area on the terrace:
Next door, the neighbour was busy preparing for the visit of the grandchildren:
In these times, you need to ensure everything is very clean.
The nearby beach was pretty quiet - and clean:
so we retreated back to the apartment, to catch up with years of gossip and prepare for the next few hectic days.
Love meeting up with Maria and Mike in their new home, city, country. I'll adjust to visiting with them in Valencia rather than Rome, but it will feel a bit different to start with. They have promised us a full agenda of adventures, then there is the lounging around on their fabuloso roof terrace, taking in the views and meeting the cat on his walk across the terrace on his way to visit feline friends.
ReplyDeleteOMG! That photo of the washed & line hung toys is priceless!
ReplyDeleteIt is a great photo and many in this blog post are courtesy of the wonderfully amazing Maria. Both Mike and Maria have really dived into the concept and supplied us with photos, descriptions of places and general information about Valencia.
DeleteValencia is on my one day list, so I will enjoy what awaits! These blog posts are a delightful start to the day. thank you again.
DeleteThe description of our wanderings around Valencia is quite extensive, so it might take a few cups of morning coffee to read. Enjoy!
Delete