Most people who visit Crete travel under the wrong presumption. Tourists flock here to get the same experience as Ibiza or Miami Beach, but this ancient island is far more miraculous. Homer mentioned Crete no less than twelve times in the Iliad and twelve times in the Odyssey, calling it “a fair and rich island in the midst of the wine dark sea.” Legends abound here, you see. The god Zeus’ birthplace, the Minotaur, Talos the autotron, the tale of Daedalus and his son Ikarus, and hundreds more punctuate the magnificent history of Greece’s biggest island. However, few really understand the island’s relationship with the sea that surrounds it. Born out of the ancient Tethys Sea millions of years ago, Crete has witnessed miracle after miracle of transformation. The poem by Patricia A Fleming below speaks of the cradle surrounding this magic island in words hinting at the true magic to be found here – for those who seek it. Enjoy.
A Miracle To Behold
Seagulls soar above her surf,
The sun reflects and gleams,
While people come from miles around
To stroll upon her beach.
Her touch conveys an icy chill
Through her stinging, foamy spray,
While her thunderous waves rush to the shore,
Then gently roll away.
Her blue horizon meets the sky,
The end cannot be seen
While her salty fragrance fills the air
And floats upon the breeze.
She safely cradles in her arms
The boats that bounce upon her tides
And plays coy with all the surfers
Who beckon for another ride.
She can distract us from our worries.
She can lure and hypnotize.
With the rhythm of her movement
And her beauty in our eyes.
She's a force that can't be reckoned with,
A power to revere.
She's a lovely, sweet seductress
Who we long to settle near.
There are no words that truly tell
The splendor of her face
Or recreate that feeling,
Of such a warm and peaceful place.
The ocean is a lovely gift.
She's God's great Masterpiece.
A miracle we can behold
That gives us reason to believe.
Far to the south of the all-inclusive resorts of the North coast of Crete, hundreds of secluded beaches, gorges, caves, and even mystic wonders await the true adventurer. The Instagram below is from Sfakia, one of the island’s most remote regions, kissed by the Libyan Sea between Crete and Africa. If you search for a land favored by God, you’ll find it in these remote areas.