Sea views - Happy Saint Nicolas day!

Today is Saint Nicholas' day :)
Wishing lots of health to all those who bear the name of Saint Nikolas the Miracle-maker and everyone who id associated with the sea in any way :)

The background information about the day and the saint:
Since it is too long a story for one post, go check the detailed information on my blog. If you don't know who that saint is, check out here:
http://bistrastoimenovaphotography.blogspot.bg/…/happy-sain…

More about the celebrations (old post but the info is still current) - see here:
http://bistrastoimenovaphotography.blogspot.bg/…/happy-sain…

The Crossroads point:
Chora Sfakion is the biggest town in the remote region of Sfakia, Crete. It is so isolated, that very few roads lead to and from it and it is the closest big settlement to the famous Samaria Gorge. This region borders the south coast of Crete and the landscape resembles a semi-desert land. No trees outside the town, just barren hills and high mountains and ravines, as far as the eye can see. And the ink-coloured sea. Sorry, got poetic here.

Point is that the sea is indeed with the colour of ink as the shores are quite steep there - given the fact that Sfakia region (the former Sfakia prefecture) covers the area where the highest mountain on Crete is located (the Lefka Ori range, which translated from Greek means 'White mountain'). Summer is quite dry but in winter snow and rain and sea rage.

The people of Sfakia are known to be the most rebellious of all on Crete. Throughout the Ottoman domination, legend has it that this area was never even conquered. The deep gorges that end somewhere deep into the mountain offered the perfect shelter for the locals. This is also the only place in Crete (not sure if not the whole of Greece) where the Venetians built a fort not to protect themselves from invaders from the sea but to fend off the attacks of locals.

More about that - in subsequent posts as this story is too fascinating to tell in just a few sentences.

Tourist information:
Chora Sfakion is a popular tourist destination and easy to find due to the influx of tourists that comes here each year to hike the Samaria gorge. Most people pass it by on their way to and from the ferry. It it totally worth at least half a day as the place is incredibly beautiful :)

There are signs from the main roads BUT the nearest airport is at Chania so you'll need a car (or to take the bus, if available at all) to get here. The trip is totally worth it, trust me :)

The story behind the shot - on Bistra Stoimenova Photography page 

Djavola varos

Silent witnesses

The Devil's city (Djavola varos), Serbia

The Crossroads Point:

The Devil's city is one of the popular places for a trip in the country of our western neighbors. The place is about 300 kilometers from Sofia and looks quite like Melnik or the Stob pyramids phenomenons. The nearest town is Kurshumlija and this is the most famous sight to see. 

The Serbians have taken care of the visitors and you can find almost anything in place - from a toilet (don't laugh, this is something you cannot find at each and every rock formation you visit) to cafes and small chapel. The walk to the place is also quite pleasant. The entrance fee is quite small and you can stay for as long as you like there.

The place itself is known for its poisonous water. I'm not kidding, the concentration of heavy metals in it is so big, that it is not potable, nor fit for washing and kills everything in its path. Water is even acidic and if you get closer, it lets out a strange smell and makes you dizzy (take my word for this, no need to try it yourself as well). Even the trees around her are very strange, like enchanted monsters. The place looks like an haunted forest, indeed. 

The legend:

The Legend of the place invented by the locals is also not to be missed. Followers from Bulgaria can see it in the video on Bistra Stoimenova Photography page (I decided to play the tour guide, so it's better to hear it from me). For anyone who doesn't speak Bulgarian, here we are:

Once, there was such a prosperous village in the land. So rich and full of happy people, that even the Devil himself was envious. And he decided to put an end to the wonderful time the villagers were having. So he poisoned the water in all wells of the village as well as the river that ran near it (some variants of the legend claim it was a witch that acted on the Devil's orders). And the villagers did go mad. So mad, in fact, that they decided to wed a brother to his sister. It was pure madness and incest but no one seemed to notice it. As the wedding preparations went on, a fairy wanted to save them. So she prayed to God to stop this madness. But God didn't say a thing. The wedding started and the procession with the brother and sister at the front started making its way towards the church at the other end. Then God saw what was happening and turned the people into stone figures. They still stand there, frozen in time. The water is also there.  Poisonous as ever. 

Tourist information:

The place is one of the most people-friendly ones I have seen. The ticket costs only 350 dinara (the local currency) which is not much and there is plenty of space to relax. The road to Kurshumlija may be a bit of a problem as it is a bit tricky once you get off the highway. Otherwise, the place is totally worth the visit. You'll need to allow a full day for it as the place is a bit remote. 

More information, on the Djavola varos website :) 

https://www.djavoljavaros.com

The story behind the shot on Bistra Stoimenova Photography page :)