Tag: Crete

“Whispers of Yesteryears: A Stroll Down Memory Lane”

In the heart of the old town in Chania, where time weaves its tapestry, lies a hidden gem – an enchanting alleyway that beckons the curious traveler. As the sun dips low, casting a warm golden hue upon stones worn smooth by centuries of footsteps, the air becomes charged with nostalgia.

Step into this timeless scene, where modernity dances with antiquity. The narrow alleyway, flanked by centuries-old walls, exudes a quiet magic. Each stone, each weathered brick, holds secrets – tales of love, loss, and resilience.

The sun-kissed walls wear a coat of faded ochre, their surfaces adorned with vibrant bougainvillea and cascading ivy. Quaint shops line the way, their wooden shutters half-open, revealing glimpses of treasures within. An artisan’s workshop spills out onto the path – woven baskets, hand-stitched leather bags, and delicate pottery. The craftsmanship speaks of generations past, a testament to the enduring spirit of creativity.

For CWWC

Galerie Door

I an still in old town Chania, in Crete. This wood door with only varnish on it caught my attention.

I liked how it looked, I really have no other reason for the shot, nor do I have a narrative to add to it. I thought it would make a nice shot. That’s all. That is why I have no many edits o it…

In Monochrome

It is Thursday and my entry entry to , Thursday Doors!

Red Door

I saw this red door at the end of the ally in old town Chania, in Crete. I looked inviting and the colorful walls enhanced it with the turquoise shutters adding interest in the composition of the photo . The stone walls added warmth to the area. What’s not to like so I took few shots.

Then I thought about the meaning of a red door, it can vary depending on cultural, historical, and personal interpretations. In many cultures, a red front door symbolizes a warm welcome and hospitality. It is believed to invite positive energy and good luck into a home. Also red is often associated with strength and protection. Some believe that a red door can ward off evil spirits and bring a sense of security.

Approaching the doorway at the end of the the street

It is Thursday and my entry entry to , Thursday Doors!

Green Door

While in Crete I took few photos of doors, and this green door and it’s surrounding really intrigued me. I am not so sure that I would be so taken by it if I lived there, it needs a bit of love and care, but from a photographers point of view, I really appreciate it.

It is Thursday, and this my second entry to , Thursday Doors!

Brown door

While in Crete I took few photos of doors, and this brown door at the end of an alley was one of them.

Posted for Dan’s Thursday Doors

Traveling Crete #10

Cities, Photography, Travel, Traveling Crete

Some atmosphere photos from Chania old town lanes and the harbor area from an other perspective

Traveling Crete #9

Some atmosphere photos from Chania and buildings at the Venetian harbor. The first set I took with my mobile and the other with my camera where I was able to adjust the settings and zoom better and was able to get more moody shots.

Traveling Crete #8

This post is all about the first sunset we saw in Chania at the Venetian harbour, it was so lovely that we later in the week came back for an other one. Well we came for dinner too and shopping, walking in the small alleys in old town. The first set I took with my mobile and the other with my camera where I was able to adjust the settings and zoom better and was able to get more moody shots.

Traveling Crete #7

Our first visit to Chania it is a breathtaking city on the north-west coast of the island of Crete. The city is historically significant In the town of Chania, ancient Greek, Byzantine, Venetian, and Ottoman buildings coexist in the landscape of the city. We visited the Virgin Mary Metropolitan Church, on our way to the Venetian Harbour, “It is worth walking and watching, and at sunset you can get some really nice shot. Those I will share in the next post.

Traveling Crete #6

Papadiana is a lovely small village located 60 km south of Chania and close to the village of Sougia. With few inhabitants (population 14 as I found out as I googled the area) that deal mostly with agriculture, Papadiana has traditional architecture with stone houses and narrow streets.

It is surrounded by lush greenery and wild mountainsides. Most vegetation comprises of olive groves that give pure virgin oil, for which Crete is famous.

We drove through this small village and noticed a sign on the side of the road, Old mill, we took the turn and found this idyllic place at the end of this gravel road. When we saw the mill it it had a 1860 A.C. sign on it.,

Traveling Crete #5

Although Crete isn’t the homeland of oranges and lemons, citrus fruits play a huge role in the Cretan diet. If I saw many olive trees I did see some orange and lemon trees as well. Ancient Greeks used to believe that the Earth goddess, Gaia, gave citrus fruits as a gift to Zeus and Hera on their wedding.

The special microclimate in the area of Chania, as well as the abundant water available from the Cretan White Mountains, contribute to the growth of juicy oranges. I heard said that…

“In fact, these oranges are among the most delicious in the world.”

Traveling Crete #4

The small village of Sougia in the south-west of Crete has managed to remain unaffected by the growth of tourism in Crete. It is still a peaceful haven, with a long beach, we stopped there for a while and had lunch at a one of the beach side taverns.

In front of the village lies a lovely quiet long beach with coarse sand and crystal clear deep water. The beach starts from the small harbor of Sougia (west) at exit of Lissos Gorge and stretches to the east for 1.5km. This part of the long beach is not organized. Instead, the beach in front of the village offers umbrellas, showers, sports and a lifeguard tower. Along the beach there are plenty of tamarisk trees where you can find shade.

Greece, Crete, seaside village beach of Sougia

Moussaka was the dish I tasted here, and it was very good. I tasted it in an other place later and I have to say this was so much tastier.

Recipe for Moussaka: Components 3-4 aubergines 3 potatoes (optional) 0.7 kg of ground lamb or beef 1-2 onions around a glass of red wine 400 g tomatoes from cans or 5 larger grated fresh tomatoes olive oil Spices: ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of oregano ½ teaspoon of ground cloves, salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar (or mix for moussaka) Bechamel sauce: 600 milk 85 g flour 85 g butter salt pepper, 25 g of grated hard cheese (eg Greek kefalotiri or Italian equivalent) 1 egg

This is going to be the one of many posts, so sorry 🙂 beforehand for the nearly same named posts.

Traveling Crete #3

Common trees in Crete are the tamarisk , oak-, chestnut-, pine-, cypress– and the evergreen plane tree (Platanus ). It is quite often found in the village squares, offering its shade to people. A huge plane tree, or platanos in Greek, can be seen at Topolia village in west Crete “Monument of Nature” after a day on the road we did not go to see it but we did stop in the village. I will post some photos of it later.

It is believed that 55 to 65 percent of the cultivated land on Crete is given over to olive groves, which contain approximately 30 million trees, so that the groves cover one-fifth to one-quarter of the island. And I felt it, I am surprisingly allergic to the bloom of Olive trees and at the end of May early June there was still some in bloom.

This is going to be the one of many posts, so sorry 🙂 beforehand for the nearly same named posts.

Traveling Crete #2

On the mountain roads we on more than one occasion ran into these goats with bells on their necks letting us know they were there. So this post is dedicated to the goats we saw 🙂

A Cretan mountain goats with a bell around its neck standing alone mountainside.

Shepherding is one of the oldest proffesion in Crete. Bells for sheep and goats were used all over Greece and Crete of course.

The bells were the pride of the shepherd and they were used to monitor the sheeps and goats. The quality of each bell as well as their combination was very important so that the flock will sound harmonious.

The Cretan bells are hammered bells with thin sheet metal and consequently have a low weight. In addition, they are plated with bronze and bronze which protects them from seawater.

The sounds of sheep-bells allow sheperds to know whether an animal is grazing, drinking water, or trying to get away from something or even to locate animals that have been lost.

a small sample of the sound of the bells

All traditional hand-made sheep bells sound different. These goats below we saw at Anatolikos Selinos.

This is going to be the one of many posts, so sorry 🙂 beforehand for the nearly same named posts.

Traveling Crete #1

After our trip as well as having back up issues, which are now solved, I got a summer flu. Not happy about it, it certainly has me tired.

I still am now aiming to get some pictures published. I will try to cover as much as I can, in the end I did not take all that many photos as I would usually take, but still I was able to capture some beautiful places and things. The flowers bloomed as it was early summer, the hills and trees were still green. I had not many expectations beforehand so I was nicely surprised of what this island had to offer.

The first picture above is from Mousoura area, at least that is what came as the location in my mobile photos, I took shot with my camera and also with the mobile so I would have the locations to remember. The village in these photos, if I remember correctly, is mountain village Lakkoi surrounded by the beautiful mountains of that area

This is going to be the one of many posts, so sorry 🙂 beforehand for the nearly same named posts.

52 Frames: Week 23: Triangular!

animals, Traveling Crete

Three’s company or a crowd… 🤷🏻‍♀️ – but in photography, we can use 3 “lines” to make a Triangular Composition – three lines in an image to create either an “actual” triangle shape, like a harsh shadow on the street, or hands raised above ones head, or a “perceived” triangle shape like posing a group of people in your frame, or cutting your frame in half with some diagonal shape (your subject’s limbs placed diagonally in your frame can make great perceived triangles in your frame’s composition). Other ways perceived triangles can be utilized in your composition could include the way a lamp casts light onto your subject, or a leading line taking you into the frame.

This challenge is NOT a request to find a triangle toy, or a triangular OBJECT and take a photo of it. This is a compositional challenge, as its name implies: Triangular COMPOSITION. Just like for the Rule of Thirds challenge, for example, wasn’t a request to go out and find tic-tac-toe boards!

Triangular composition is one of those “guidelines” in photography composition, that can enhance interest in your frame, if or when you can incorporate it. The purpose of this challenge is to first train yourself to SEE it. Once you understand where triangles take form in composition, you can then craft your own frame utilizing one of these techniques.

you can achieve triangular composition in many ways: by placing your subject’s hand on their ear, by catching the harsh mid-day shadow on a street, by capturing a long, straight road, that disappears in the distance.

This challenge is not (necessarily) referring to the “golden triangle”, the focus is more on these scenarios where you can identify regular ol’ triangles in your composition.

Be creative : let’s not be obtuse in looking for the right 📐angle. We’re all equilaterally🔺capable of acutely 🚩 good photos.

Traveling Crete