On our way...at last. A strike by ATC and the fire brigade meant that we were 5 hours late leaving Gatwick. In this shot you can make out the vapour trail of another plane, just above the cloud line. At least the wing is still in place.
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Just landing at Heraklion International Airport. The airport is named after Nikos Kazantzakis Airport, a Greek writer and philosopher. Across the sea is the small island of Dia. It's home to the Kri-kri, a small and endangered breed of goat.
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A sign near our hotel indicating the way the the Holy Temple of the 62 Martyrs...(note the spelling of temple !!).
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Quite a hot day at the pottery. Nice bit of shade.
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Pots which had just been fired. It was ..... hot standing here taking this picture.
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Pots which had just been fired. It was ..... hot standing here taking this picture.
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The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Suda Bay.
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The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Suda Bay.
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This cemetery is maintained by the Common Wealth War Graves Commission. It looks after 2500 cemeteries all over the world. They all use the same headstones, and no distinction is made on military or civil rank, race or creed. (see www.cwgc.org for details and searches).
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The town of Chania (pronounced Hania).
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The waterside at Chania. Most of the businesses around the bay are restaurants.
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The entrance to the bay at Chania.
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Tours around the town are available. While we were there, one of the horses spooked and over turned the carriage.
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A screw outside the Naval Museum at Chania.
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A typical Greek taverna.
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The lighthouse at the entrance to Chania.
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Sea food at a taverna on the quay side. The prawns were BIG.
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On a boat going to Spinalonga (Kalidon).
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The island of Spinalonga was once one of the last active leaper colonies in Europe (1903 to 1957).
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Various aspects of Spinalonga.
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Various aspects of Spinalonga.
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The Carbonano Gate. 1583AC.
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Market of the Ottoman Period 18th-19th Century on Spinalonga.
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The inside of a house on Spinalonga.
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Church of Saint Panteleimon 1709 A.C.
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Residences of the Ottoman Period 18th-19th Century
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This is the leapers entrance to Spinalonga, also known as Dante's gate.
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A church in a small village called Elounda. This is one place you can leave from to get to Spinalonga, the other being Agios Nikolaos.
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The lagoon at Agios Nikolaos. Known as Lake Voulismeni. According to legend, the goddess Athena bathed in it. A local urban legend has it that the lake is bottomless (potentially because of its disproportionally high depth compared to its width).
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Some flowers that can be found around Lake Voulismeni. This is a Bougainvillea.
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On the way back to our hotel from Agios Nikolaos, we stopped to look at some cliffs. On here, after a lot of looking, you can see a pair of eagles.
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The leftovers from a bad accident. It's common for cars to be left at the side of the road as a reminder to others. Far more effective than a bunch of flowers.
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Hills to the south of Heraklion. The profile of the top of it is said to represent that of the dead Zues. Crete is the birthplace of Zues.
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An area of the palace at Knossos on the way to the Corridor of the Procession.
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The South Propylaeum and the South Corridor to the right of the raised walkway.
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The south House at Knossos. It was built sometime after 1600 BC. Parts of the ground floor and two upper storeys have survived, there may even have been a third storey.
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Some large Greek urns. There are some larger ones later on.
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Not sure what part of the palace this is. it wasn't easy keeping up with the guide to hear about everything and take pictures.
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As in the previous picture...all I can say is that it is part of the palace.
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Some larger urns.
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The Royal Road links the palace at Knossos with the Little Palace. it starts at Knossos in the Theatral Area.
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A view of the Crete country side.
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Monastery of Panagia Kera. This is a small place near to Kera on the way to the Lasithi Plateau.
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A view of the Lasithi Plateau from the path to the Dicteo Andro cave.
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A black hornet.
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Outside the Dicteo Andro cave. According to the Greek Mythology, Zeus was reared in this cave.
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Outside the Dicteo Andro cave. According to the Greek Mythology, Zeus was reared in this cave.
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A Dracunculus vulgaris (The Dragon Arum). This was seen on the way back down from the cave. It has an awful smell which attracts flies that feed on rotten meat, which it then traps and devours!
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A dis-used windmill in the Lasithi Plateau area.
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A view from the top of the mountain at the entrance to the Lasithi Plateau. Windmills are positioned all the way across the crest of the mountain in a line.
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A wider from the top of the mountain at the entrance to the Lasithi Plateau.
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Ancient windmills on the way back (or to) the Lasithi Plateau.
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A taverna near our hotel. This has a restored windmill on the front of it. This is what the windmills on the way to the Lasithi Plateau would have looked like.
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The beach at our hotel looking west.
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The swimming pool area just outside the bar at our hotel.
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Aerial view of an island on our way back home. If anyone knows where it it, please let me know.
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