Today I took a train to Cuenca! I have always wanted to see this town because it is famous for its "casas colgadas," or "hanging houses." The town is sandwiched between two insanely steep gorges, and as the population increased during the middle ages, residents began building their houses right on the cliffs' edges, with balconies and rooms hanging out over the side of the cliff! Absolutely crazy to look at... Could you imagine if your bedroom was suspended off the back of your house and you knew there was a several-hundred foot drop beneath your floor??
The town was actually kind of dull, aside from the houses and cathedral. It was kind of funny to spend an hour on a train and get out to see a basically deserted town with not much to do. It was a Thursday, however. Maybe they get lots of weekend day trippers? Regardless, the houses were why I came, and it was worth the trip!
While passing the time waiting for my return train (I had arranged to stay the whole day there but really could have done it all in a few hours), I decided to pop into the cathedral and found a wonderful surprise inside. It was absolutely the most fascinating cathedral I have ever visited. (And in Spain, you visit a lot of them...). The cathedral was not all perfect and slick and prettied up for the tourists. This one was in the middle of a long overdue renovation and was mostly deserted of visitors. Every time I thought I'd seen all of it, there would be a new side chapel with a huge dome or something I hadn't noticed before. Lots of places to explore and filled with wild surprises - sculptures, statues, and artwork unlike anything I have ever seen in a church.
I also took a short hike down the side of one of the gorges to see a famous convent, which turned out to be closed. Neat.
After the cathedral and hike, I still had a few hours to kill, so went to a café on the Plaza Mayor to read the Spanish paper and plot my next few days. While in the café I started up a conversation with a Cuencan firefighter and at one point, a local politician who was a friend of his stopped by and all three of us chatted and they told me all about Cuenca's ups and downs over the years. When I got up to leave, I found out they had paid my bill for me. A very typical Spanish gesture, and a nice final impression of the town before leaving!
Finally it came time to catch the train and I bid Cuenca farewell. It's kind of off the beaten path, and I wonder if I will ever have the chance to go there again.
Enjoy the pics!! What the town lacks in activity, it more than makes up for in views!
THE HANGING HOUSES and THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE OVER THE GORGE
VIDEO CLIP OF THE BRIDGE CROSSING
THE CATHEDRAL
VIEWS FROM THE HIKE and THE CLOSED CONVENT (through the window)
