For a number of reasons we changed our travel plans. Beth was going to give me a trip for us, to Morocco for my 60th Birthday. Instead we rented a 5 door, manual, diesel, Fiat 500L, for 5 days for 40 euros, and decided to take a road trip to the four cities listed above.
We started by driving to Cuenca. It is 199 kilometers (123 miles) northwest of Valencia. It took us a little over 2 hours to drive to Cuenca. It was a beautiful drive through the countryside and wide open spaces with very little traffic. We stayed in the Parador Hotel Cuenca, a former convent of San Pablo, for FREE. When we arrived I joined the Parador Amigos frequent stay program and we earned enough point to get tonight (and tomorrow night) stay for free. In any case this former convent was very nice and we had an amazing view of the Casas Colgadas (Hanging Houses).
For years I have always said I was going to create a book that would be read in the bathroom. My title is "Places I've Gone" here is a good example of one of the many photo's I could put into the book
Despite her fear of heights, Beth was able to walk across this bridge with no problems (Well maybe she held her breath) BTW that is our Parador Hotel across the river
The first thing we did after checking in and walking into town was to have lunch at elsecreto. (Shh don't tell - it's a secret.) It's in a medieval house - that has been decorated with whimsical modern touches. We had a window table looking out over the gorge. The deer meatball featured in one of the restaurants photo's we shared. Then we had Wild Boar loin with pear and sweet wine....delicious!
We then walked around the city. Now it has to be said that the setting could not be more strategic, or more spectacular. The city is actually set up on a steep promontory at the meeting point of two rivers gorges, the Júcar and Huécar rivers. It has narrow meandering streets and the famous separate tall (hanging) houses with wooden balconies that literally jut out over the sheer cliffs.
"Silver basin has my soul won"
As is the case with almost every city in Spain there is a Cathedral. This one had some interesting looking, maybe hanging house motifs on the facade.
We walked to the "alto ciudad" high city. Beth is relaxing after our climb up he hill on this beautiful day as we enjoy the view down towards the old town in the foreground and the new town at the bottom
I think the trees love this weather!
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