How the Alps Shaped the Soča Valley, part 3

30 million years ago the Alps have risen from Tetys Ocean and forever changed the face of Europe.

They stand before us today with only half of its original height. Avalanches and glaciers have transformed the outlook of the entire mountain range throughout its turbulent history. But the Alps are still losing their height and it might just be that one day they will vanish.

In times of great glaciation the mighty Alpine landscape was cut by more than 1,000 glaciers. This epic event formed mountain lakes and rivers.

GREAT SOČA GORGE

Huge amounts of water violently transformed a fairy tale landscape. But their colossal powers also created canyons and gorges.

One of the most beautiful gorges in Slovenia are Velika and Mala Korita Soče. Velika Korita, the Great Soča Gorge can be found on the way to Lepena valley. The colours of the Soča river there are amazing so we highly advise you not to miss this one if you are in the valley.

Some of the canyons have become great natural water parks where we go canyoning. The most popular canyons where we organize canyoning are Sušec and Fratarica.

BOKA WATERFALL

All this water that flows into the valley, slowly undercuts fragile and crumbling limestone.

Especially waterfalls are living on loans. Their most powerful force aggressively erodes rocks beneath them. And, one day the waterfalls will pay a heavy price. The Boka Waterfall is the most abundant waterfall in Slovenia. Especially after some really heavy rain it appears very impressive.

The water gathers from the Kanin mountain range in the system of underground caves and then like a waterfall blasts to the surface. The waterfall, which is 106m high and 18m wide, is still gaining in height. In fact, in-depth. Rocks on which the waterfall is falling are less resistant than those over which it pours.

So the force, which is the most responsible for the lousy destiny of the Alps, is water. Can it happen that the Alps in about 30 million years will no longer shape the landscape of our country.

GAIUS JULIUS CAESARUS ALPUS

Let us end our story with how our Alps got their name. Our beautiful Bovec valley is situated in the Julian Alps, which got their name after Gaius Julius Caesar. Apparently, it was all his idea.

Julius Caesar was a celebrity in ancient Rome long before he became bald. He was a military and political mega mind, who was elected tribune, quaestor, praetor and half a dozen cool sounding political offices, for which no one knows exactly what they all were.

Despite the fact that he comfortably rooted in the state apparatus, Julius wasted no time in a polished office of some public service hanging on Facebook all day long. No, J.C. had a mission – he had to conquer the world.

In ancient Rome conquering the world literally meant: demolish the whole countries to the ground, kill more barbarians than anyone else, sell all the surviving barbarians as slaves to get a fair payment and in between, steal everything you can. According to the principle of equality this formula was applied to all the barbarian tribes without discrimination.

Therefore, J.C. put on some gala sheet, had a really awesome political speech down the Forum Romanum, sat on his horse and rode into the sunset. Before him the whole of Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa were lying, eager to be concurred by such a celebrity figure. Oh, and Cleopatra as well.

During the realization of his mission, J.C. on one occasion crossed the Alps. The mighty snow-capped peaks made ​​such a strong impression on him that he immediately decided to give them some highly sophisticated name.

For a while he was walking around in deep self-brain-storming, piecing together a variety of options. Then, he finally realized that in this world, only one man is majestic enough to donate a name to this mountain range. He himself, of course.

Later, J.C. has spent some more time rioting around the world, overcame all domestic and foreign enemies, and started couple of ambitious construction projects. Satisfied, he returned home and enthroned himself for presidente por vida.

Soon after, however, gang in Rome got sick of him and his ego. They began the great conspiracy and managed one of the most famous assassinations of the ancient times. During one of those boring sessions of the Senate his former buddies have stabbed him in the back 23 times. Who needs enemies when you have friends like that.

J.C. has ended of his career quite bloody. But the name of the Julian Alps remained until today.