“There are hidden treasures in places where nobody cares to seek”. Anonymous.
We usually jumped into the car although were not pretty sure of our destination. There are so many lovely places around, we used to think, that anywhere will be nice. That’s how our trip to the Canelobre Caves started.
We were driving north of Alicante and saw the indications to Xixona, famous town where they make the world known “turrones”. We opted to follow the signs and go there. We had heard although it is a small town, there’s an interesting museum about the nougat and how it is made. Perhaps we could even purchase some.
We were driving inland and have to admit the view of the mountains was awe inspiring. Although we were just a few minutes from the Mediterranean Sea, there were high mountains like giants sleeping peacefully. We thought taking the road to Busot was a good idea, followed it and when we got to the point where there was another road going to the Canelobre Caves, we looked at each other and that was enough to go for it!
What a great decision! Although the road was really steep, it was worthwhile! In a few minutes, we had parked the car and were standing at about 700 metres high, ready to go into a 45 metre tunnel.
We went inside and the view was even better, the sleeping giant was a hidden wonder! I cannot say how many but it was a cave full of stalagmites, stalactites. Inside the caves there is a space of more than 80,000 square metres. We were looking at one of the highest vaults in all of Spain, with a height of 70 metres.
Some of the most famous formations are “La Sagrada Familia”, an incredible rock formation that reaches a height of more than 25 metres, and “El Canelobre”, a stalagmite located in the centre of the room that is more than 100,000 years old.
The discovery of the cave is attributed to the Arabs around the 10th century. Little is known about the cave until the 19th century, and it was not opened to the public until the second half of the 20th century. During the Spanish Civil War, the caves were used as an aircraft repair shop by the Republican army, and it was at that time that the current access tunnel to the cave was drilled, as well as several platforms inside.
Every one of us is as these magnificent caves, hidden gems that not everybody know of until they take a little time and become curious about us. It doesn’t matter the age, it doesn’t matter the culture, we are all part of the human race and we’re all gems. Each one with his own beauty. You are a treasure.
There is a famous phrase: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. And I agree, but beauty is everywhere, you only need to open your heart, your mind and be humble. Also, be patient, discovering beauty can take some time, but it will be worth.
4 comments
Maria
Beautiful
Monica Etcheverry
Thanks, glad you liked it.
jorge taliercio
Nice! It is always nice go inside the caves and see what is inside and under the earth hidden from outside. Once my soon took me in Arizona USA to a cage underneath the earth, we had to enter crawling and take flash lights as there was no lights inside and was an scary but thrilling experience the total beauty, darkness and silence inside the cage. It was a huge case were people that enjoyed caves exploring goes. We walk hundreds of meters inside and could have gone much farther but I was a little afraid of getting lost. Indeed once we decided to return we have some trouble finding the exit. If were not for another group of explorers that by divine providence entered there before us and helped us to find the way out we would still be there. I never forget that experience, it was thrilling, beautiful, unique and scary at the same time. Like our beautiful lives.
Life is beautiful, it’s a gift that was given to us that we need to discover and treasure.
Thank you for your inspiring blog.
Lili
Beautiful!!!