Dance of the Mistral and the legend of Don Quixote A wooden sailing ship is anchored at the start of Ulcinj’s Long Beach and houses a cafe that blasts piano sonatas from its speakers. Look - ing out from that place, you’ll wonder if your gaze will ever return, as it extends along a sandy beach that stretches for more than 12 kilometres and is splashed by a shallow sea that breaks into many thin waves, somewhat like an ocean. And nothing disturbs that perfect equilibrium, except the birds chirping from on high, so it somehow feels as though you’re all alone in the world. This beach is known for attracting lovers of kit - ing and all sports that require wind. The sky in this area is awash with parachutes and the sound of people screaming with excitement. The climatic conditions make this an ideal place for sports. The mistral wind begins to blow almost every day at around noon and only stops at dusk, waning with the day. And there’s also the Old Town and in it Miguel de Cervantes. Yes, the same Spanish writer who cre - ated Don Quixote. And he allegedly did so right here, in Ulcinj. And that story begins with pirates. Specifically, Ulcinj was always a well-known haven for pirates, a place from which pirates set out to plunder the ships of the Venetians, Spaniards and Turks. They headed out into the Mediterranean and brought back booty, but also slaves. The Old Town’s main square is still called the Square of Slaves, because it was on this very spot that these unfortunate people were bought and sold. Among the captives arriving there one day in 1575 was, allegedly, the then 28-year-old Cervantes, who was captured when pirates from Ulcinj took a Spanish ship near Corsica. He spent five years in Ulcinj and became very popular among the lo - cals, because he spent all his nights writing some - thing (allegedly Don Quixote) and spent all his days singing serenades. He was accompanied by a young girl who’d fallen in love with him, and he took her back to Spain after his father sold prop - erty to pay the ransom. Her name was Dulsineja, just like Don Quixote's muse and just like a woman from Ulcinj (Dulčino is Ulcinj’s former name). Perhaps he did and perhaps he didn't, but Cervantes is nonetheless considered a son-in-law of Ulcinj and a monument dedicated to him was erected in the Old Town. And Cervantes isn’t the only curiosity. Ulcinj is a city filled with legends of scary pirates and ladies in love, but it’s also filled with kindly people who will treat you to ice cream even though they’ve never seen you before…
Servantesa smatraju ulcinjskim
zetom, pa su mu i spomenik podigli u Starom gradu Cervantes is considered a son- in-law of Ulcinj and a monument to him stands in the Old Town
Ljubitelji kajtinga i vindsurfinga ovamo dolaze iz celog sveta jer su uslovi savršeni Perfect windy conditions lure lovers of kiting and windsurfing from all over the world
pevao španske serenade. Pratila ga je zalju - bljena mlada devojka, koju je, nakon što je njegov otac prodao imanje i platio otkup, po - veo u Španiju. Zvala se Dulsineja, baš kao Don Kihotova muza, baš kao Ulcinjanka (sta - ro ima Ulcinja je Dulčino). Možda jeste, možda nije, tek Servantesa smatraju ulcinjskim zetom, pa su mu i spo - menik podigli u Starom gradu. I nije tu sa- mo Servantes. Ulcinj je grad prepun legendi o strašnim piratima i zaljubljenim gospama, ali i pun ljubaznih ljudi koji će vas počastiti sla - doledom, iako vas nikada nisu videli.
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