Cuenca: a journey in Spain, searching for great emotions
Cuenca is a tiny village in the Castilla-La Mancha Region, a site almost famous for “El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha”, the book narrating the adventures of a horseman tilting at windmills, that are copious in this area.
The old village, declaired Unesco World Heritage, is castled on a steep mountain; at the top, you will be lost in amezement, looking at the unique Casas Colgadas, “suspended houses” built in the XIV century which are clinging to the rock and supported by wooden beams.
The village is almost colored and full of history: because of the presence of the Bishop, there are many important buildings and monuments to look to: the Bishop Palace, the Cathedral of St. Maria and St. Julian, the Alcazar (the castle) and the ancient tower, symbols of the arabic presence in the town.
Gear: Canon Eos 1000D, Canon EF-S 18-55 and Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Krka National Park is a must see in the territory of Šibenik-Knin County of Croatia (Dalmatia), along the Krka River.
This first part of photo gallery start with the nice trip up the river to the most attractive parts of the park: the stunning waterfalls and cascades of the Krka river, and the Skradinski buk.
In a space of 450 metres there are 17 waterfalls, the largest is just over 22 metres in height and 60 metres in width, and the total difference in height between the first and the last falls is 48 m.
The awesome walk through the waterfalls in the park is on a 2 Km foot bridge. Due to the wealth and variety of geomorphological forms, vegetation, and the various effects caused by the play of light on the whirlpools, Skradinski buk is considered to be one of the most beautiful calcium carbonate waterfalls in Europe.
Gear: Canon Eos 6D and Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM
By entering Mostar from a cross street, ruins of building riddled by bullets gives you a warm welcome.
Walking through the small historical centre, just before the famous Neretva bridge, you will meet tens of shop for tourists but also many stones where appears the inscription “DO NOT FORGET”.
The beauty of the historical centre makes you forget the tragic history of the city.
Climbing the topmost minaret of the city, you can enjoy he beauty of the centre: completely destroyed in 1994, it was reconstructed and declared Hunesco world heritage site.
In the summertime the divers (boys of Monstar jumping from the 24 meters high bridge into the river) are the real attraction for the tourists.
Outside the historical centre, the cemetery pervading both sides of the street.
Leaving the centre, you will come across many houses not restored: they look like skeletons surrounding the city crowded by the tourists.
One of the most impressive conflicts of the city: a house partially reconstructed (only the roof and the window fixtures) and another one reconstructed for a bed-and-breakfast use-
The signs of two religions, the copious minarets that stand out against the only christian cross, consigned on the top of the mountain.
this cross is the only chistian symbol in the city.
Mosques and minarets are everywhere in city and, as a contrast the houses still damaged, are always restored.
Walking through the streets of the centre, raising the eyes toward the buildings, what makes you astonish is that only the lower floors of the buildings are restored. On most of them, is still visible the mark of the war.
It is clear the attempt of the city to return to normality, but the signs of the past war are clear too. Most say that the destroyed buildings are intentionally not restore, as a warning to the people.
As to point up this theory, the usual stone with the inscription “DO NOT FORGET”.
Gear: Canon Eos 6D and Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
