The Horn of Amalthea: A Symbol of Abundance

I woke up early this morning to enjoy the sunrise and spotted a cruise ship far off on the horizon. So I grabbed my camera and went down to the shore to be rewarded with this amazing view a short while later.

The striking Horn of Amalthea sculpture with its green glass elements is illuminated by the dawn sun, while the cruise ship Azamara Pursuits sails slowly towards shore. The calm waters of Mirabello Bay in the Aegean Sea and the silhouetted mountains on the Sitia Peninsula complete the serene scene.

The small boat on the left is the pilot boat guiding the giant ship safely into the harbour at the port of Agios Nikolaos on the Greek island of Crete.

The Horn of Amalthea or Cornucopia is a symbol of eternal abundance going back to the childhood of Zeus in Greek mythology. This sculpture by Nikos and Pantelis Sotiriades stands on the shore in Agios Nikolaos near Kritoplatia Beach.

So many unique things came together on this special morning:

  • I woke up at just the right moment, decided to take some dawn photos and happened to notice the ship in the distance
  • the ship came at the perfect time – a few minutes earlier or later the sun would not have been in the right position to capture it through the statue
  • the ship took this particular route – ships the previous week had not arrived this way
  • there were such fascinating clouds – some days the sky was completely cloudless
  • the sunrise was actually visible – some days it was completely hidden behind the clouds

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Travel Photography Book Magic Memories from Agios Nikolaos

Heraklion Harbour Sunset

On the last evening of our wonderful Crete holiday we stayed over in historic Heraklion, the island’s largest city and administrative capital.

I’d deliberately chosen a hotel on the edge of the Old Town within walking distance of the fascinating Venetian Harbour, dating back to the 13th century. I arrived at the harbour just in time to enjoy the last rays of the sun just before it disappeared behind the mountains beyond the bay. As the yachts and boats bobbed on the golden dusk waters, my heart throbbed a little faster. Quite a breathtaking sight. And I clicked away with my camera:-)

Then it was time to head back to a traditional taverna for their welcoming hospitality and local Cretian delicacies.

Heraklion (Greek Ηράκλειο / Irákleio), Crete, Greece.

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