My city story - Heraklion. The capital of Crete island

I was not so fond of my city when I was young.
(To put it lightly...)

The comments that everybody was saying were "Well, this is not a nice city like others in Crete", "I hate this city, too much traffic", "It's like the city has turned its back to the sea, while others are facing the sea", "There is nothing traditional in Heraklion"

And many many more..

I never paid much attention to the roads. I never thought of searching more about it. I was never taught to read between the lines and to have my own opinion.

But when I grew up, I had to leave town for a few years.
The moment the plane took of, I felt a strange butterfly in my heart.

I was leaving my city. My island. I was unsure about how long.
And then I forgot about it, trying to fit in to my new life.

I will make this post short, but I will come back to this story.
I am not sure how many will read this, and I feel free discussing this here.

I had to pay some short visits home, to realize what I was missing.
My head looking from the windows to the ocean. Every time.

My ocean.
My city.

My castle.
Our castle.
Having years and years of history, still standing proudly after having protected this city oh so many times.

*Recently the current major placed some city stands about historical events in the city)
This point is a remembrance point about The Battle of Crete in Heraklion.

History should be learned. Or we are doomed to repeat it.

When I was returning to my city, I always tried to find ways of exploring more. Of learning.
It took me sometime until I came back home permanently.

I thought of @aboutheraklion project when I joined hive (named steem back then)
I did not know how it would evolve.

I have heard a few bad comments, mostly through my social media posts.

The comments mainly say "But don't you see the bad things? Don't you see the garbage?"
Yes, I do. And I try to inform the people that should be informed when I do it. I try to keep my city clean, not to waste too much water, and to show the good parts of my city.

I do that for us, for the locals, but also for the people who want to come visit.

There is still color.
There is still power.
There is still will.

The skies are still blue.
The old buildings stand up high.

And we are here to learn, to read, to share, to travel.

For the city of my dreams.

Thanks for reading!

All images mine, posted in my insta account https://www.instagram.com/p/C7i46UIMNm7/?img_index=1