Sunset over Mellieha

Tony

Feb 23rd 2009, 10:30

We came back to Malta two years ago for a visit and fell in love with just this view - don;t spoil it !!
And there was a comment that this was 'backdrop by god' ..

Joe Fenech

Feb 19th 2009, 19:35

Reminisce...!! Even beautiful Mellieha has been ruined. Malta has just become one estate. Let's carry on living in denial and kill time singing "Ale, Ale" and "Irriduh, irriduh.."

Malcolm Sammut

Feb 19th 2009, 17:41

Beautiful picture!!! well captured. Being a photography enthusiast I can say that these are the pictures that make your time taking them so worth the moment. thanks for sharing

J. Darmanin

Feb 19th 2009, 09:23

yes i noticed the sky like this a few days ago, while passing from the zebbug by-pass going to siggiewi, i was mesmerised and i couldnt stop looking at it. i almost crashed in the car infront of me. too bad i diddnt have the camera with me

Adrian Bajada

Feb 19th 2009, 07:38

Just wanted to say that the picture is really beautifull and is now my desk top.

KEITH WINDER

Feb 18th 2009, 21:32

RED SKY AT NIGHT SHEPHERD'S DELIGHT
RED SKY IN THE MORNING SHEPHERD'S WARNING
THIS IS DELIGHTFUL.

Barrie Stott

Feb 18th 2009, 18:34

General Comment:

Some of your comments are argumentative. Why so? This is just a photo of the sunset. No need for hot debate to be honest...

On Topic: Beautiful Photo. I do photography myself and believe this is an extremely pretty photo! Thank you for sharing this with us!

Ian Sammut Dacoutros

Feb 18th 2009, 18:01

@Jason Fenech

Regressional philosophy has got to be one of the most illogical, as this is the classic chicken or egg debate - ie without beginning or end.

My entire argument is specifically the scientific one but taken a little bit further. There are greater things to science - one simply has to look around and beyond ones nose.

The beauty created in this photo at face value is nothing more than a series of right situations however the appreciation of its aesthetic beauty also has a connotative value of awe. It is the precise manner in which science was born - to ask the questions of how & why.

To merely say that all nature, creation, etc... is down to a series of coincidences would be to reduce life and the world to an accident, a freak or quark.

Science in its self is a mere tool and not the workshop. It is through an appreciation of scientific facts that one can gain another level of awe for God. The problem is when science is placed to the position of god - ie idolatry.

Jason Fenech

Feb 18th 2009, 16:42

I guess there’s no point arguing. After all since this started out as a thread about photography and I don’t think this is the right place to discuss such issues. However petty arguments and bad logic, the forte of religious apologetics, only serve to reinforce my thesis.

If anything science has left little room for god as a creator. True. Some questions remain unanswered and it could well be the case they will remain so. Only time will tell. But lack of knowledge is no proof for the existence of the divine.

Fact. The universe is complex. A creator would have to be of a higher order of complexity. Inherently this calls for an even more complex creator thus spiraling into an infinite regression.

People find it hard to believe that something can be created out of nothing. Fair enough, but why is it so hard to take one step further and ask how did god, assuming he exists, come into being?

I guess it’s easier to say that god always existed and leave it at that. Better not risk getting hurt by straying too far from the comfort zone.

And that my friend, is the point.

Ian Sammut Dacoutros

Feb 18th 2009, 14:36

@ Chris Vidal and all those posting about God.

The science is all well and good as to how something is done - we all know the physics behind the colours or we can do the research to find this out, but that is not the point.

It was St. Francis of Assisi who put it the best in my oppinion when challenged on exactly the same pint though not regarding a sunset but rather a flower. He challenged the person who was rationalising the nature of God through science to get a flower bud and open it to get the flower that there is in the bud.

It is not a matter of the physics but rather that the physics exists, the balance of science is one of the greater proofs that God does indeed exist.

There is also beauty in the rough sea, or the awsome power of a volcano, we see these as destructive but that does not deminish their beauty, that is part of their beauty.

Charmaine Bugeja

Feb 18th 2009, 14:34

Enchanting... I've always been attracted to Mellieha in many ways and this photo simply confirms the unexplainable pull I have to this pretty village. Well done to the photographer for the submission. Keep them coming.

Chris Vidal

Feb 18th 2009, 13:17

@ Chris Coleiro
well in the example that you gave..obviously I will be thank full to my mum. and the reason for that is that i am sure that she prepared the meal. still I can try to understand what is the science behind the meal she prepared if i want. in this example of the sky you are just hypothesizing that the colours in the sky that you are seeing was made by god. well it could be but no one is sure about that. actually those colours that u r seeing are simply an illusion just u see them for couple of minutes and then you see the blackness and emptiness of the universe. But in other situations that i mentioned...disease, a tsunami, a meteorite that can fall on you or simply hit the planet and cause devastation (and this is completely out of human control) in all these cases...whom do you praise? to be clear about this everyone is free to believe and praise who ever he or she wants. this is all for the sake of the argument.
Unfortunately most people try to use the word god to fill the gaps and explain everything.

maria cutajar

Feb 18th 2009, 13:13

beautiful. and again beautiful.

George S Darmanin

Feb 18th 2009, 11:48

The photo is simply beautiful. Keep it up Joseph.

To all other bloggers. We are free people. We are free to praise the Lord, others are free to deny Him.

I choose to praise Him - Thank you Lord...for everything

ceri whitley

Feb 18th 2009, 11:38

As soon as I saw this pretty sunset I thought of the Glory of God. Who could deny His greatness?

And in the seas there is an overlaoded boat full of desperate hungry tired immigrants.
As they watch one of their exhausted comrades slip under the hungry waves - sliding deep down to a watery grave..... they too look up and admire Gods pretty work.

R. Gatt

Feb 18th 2009, 11:13

I live in Mellieha Heights and have the same view as the photo. The last few evenings, we've had more or less the same sunset. Amazing!!! Best place on the island.

Chris Coleiro

Feb 18th 2009, 10:33

@ Mr.Vidal...
I do not know if ever you had the opportunity to savour a good home-made meal by your mother but if so what would you be thankful for? Would you say "well-done" to your mother? or would you simply say that the molecules and compounds in the foods came out with the application of heat and made such a delicious taste?

Therefore I join those who wrote before me and praised God for this sunset...
"And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness." [Gen 1:4]
Hence you have the answer to whoever is behind the wonders that we can see in this wonderful photograph... Well-done Mr.Fsadni

Joe Xuereb

Feb 18th 2009, 08:43

This picture is indeed wondrous. Spectacular even. But then so is a forty foot wave surging towards you. Or a sudden rift in the ground, swallowing everything on it. Shall I go on. All very wonderful. And fools, in royal circles known as Court Jesters, are known to entertain. They come under different guises. I guess nobody would call scenes of devastation caught on film wonderful. And yet it is the same 'hand' that creates such tragedy as the one that paints these inspiring and colourful spectacles for free. Waxing lyrical is a lovely escape route but never did solve any earthly problems. Call me cynical. And a cynical fool is perfectly acceptable too.

Chris Vidal

Feb 18th 2009, 07:39

very nice picture. but again looking at the comments who ever has nothing to say the word God serves just right. it is not a question that other people are annoyed by the word god but it is far too much that in everything that happens and you see you want to say that it is god as if god is there with some remote control moving everything. this is simply nature, you can call it the beauty of nature. if we associate nature with god then we can also see the cruelty of nature, animals equipped to kill each other every second, disease, natural phenomena like earthquakes, volcanoes, meteorites that can fall from that lovely sky in the picture, etc etc do these also show god's glory?

Carmen Laudi

Feb 18th 2009, 06:57

What a beautiful picture for the month of February.- this proclaims the Greatness of the Lord! and the weather elements at their best!

Thanks for sharing! - Nice shot!

Benny Vergote

Feb 18th 2009, 00:57

I wish I was there in this small part of paradise!!!

Jason Fenech

Feb 17th 2009, 22:55

There's no denying that the photo depicts a wonderful spectacle albeit the result of simple physics and certainly no proof for any diety. I suspect some people still believe in Thor when lightning strikes! The simple minded fool, without a shadow of a doubt, is one who instead of accepting things for what they really are, throws around the word god ad nauseam to fill in the gaps brought about by religious indoctrination. And yes some bloggers are indeed very much upset by such comments moreso when unprovokedly referred to as fools.

"Where knowledge ends, religion begins."

PS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdVucvo-kDU .. fools indeed!

Saviour Azzopardi

Feb 17th 2009, 21:56

I see such sunsets very often from Gharghur. I just stop and watch natures's art of colours until they fade into darkness. Its like a grand final for that day. Just makes you stop & think and............. thank!!!!!!

John Wilman

Feb 17th 2009, 20:18

I envy all who live there, one day

Saviour Porter

Feb 17th 2009, 17:51

PSALM 19 says:- The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.
There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.
In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat.

Vincent Galea

Feb 17th 2009, 17:48

Some bloggers seems to get upset at the word God.
Think simple. You wake up in the morning and, even before coffee, there is. Reality, Existance. Not " the things that exist " but existence itself. The flow. The infinite flow of light and energy. Of being, of existence. Of is. Think of all that flow of isingness all in a single, perfectly simple point.
Get into it, commune with it, speak to it, become one of it........that is God.

Alexander Morana

Feb 17th 2009, 17:29

Great pic. Malta is so photogenic, pity that the filth in the streets and some buildings don’t do justice to the whole Island.

philip pace

Feb 17th 2009, 17:05

Great picture!!
Congrats Mr. Fsadni

Well said, Mr.Bailey. It is nature after all. Full stop.

A.Barbara

Feb 17th 2009, 16:51

Nice one!

Julian Caruana

Feb 17th 2009, 16:47

@ Mr DBailey, Mr Andrew Catania, Mr K.Vella

Thanks for your reply and Information

g.c.Forte

Feb 17th 2009, 16:40

@ Julian Caruana.............Our fathers use to say " Hmura ta fil Ghaxija lesti iz-zwiemel ghat tigrijja....because it will be coming a nice day , and " Hmura ta fil ghodu lesti post ghal bejjem fejn jghoqodu"......means that it is going to be a rainy day. I have been observing these proverbs and they really works. Anyway being an artist I really admire this picture, and thanks to Joseph for sharing it with us.

K. Vella

Feb 17th 2009, 16:29

@julian caruana
These are the Maltese sayings you're referring to:

- Ħmura filgħodu, lesti ż-żwiemel fejn joqogħdu
- Ħmura filgħaxija, lesti ż-żwiemel għat-tiġrija

A. Catania

Feb 17th 2009, 16:14

@ julian carauana

Il-hmura ta' filghaxija, lesti z-zwiemel ghat-tigrija.

Tomorrow's gonna be nice weather I guess....;)

D Bailey

Feb 17th 2009, 16:06

Why the need to mention God or the Creator when we see these things. It's nature, not God.. believe in what you see, not what you don't. I see rays of sunlight scattered across clouds over man-made structures, it is in fact beautiful, but not Godly.

@julian carauana
"Hmura ta filghodu lestu z-zwiemel fejn joqoghdu, hmura ta filghaxija lestu z-zwiemel ghat-tigrija"

So red sky in the evening means fine weather next day. It's not just a Maltese saying but found in many cultures. And there actually is some scientific background to it.

Vincent Galea

Feb 17th 2009, 15:53

One special feature of the world we live in is colours., the blue sky, and the deeper blue sea, scarlet sunsets, the multi coloured rainbow, and the myriad other colours which surround us at every step in our lives.
Colours have also a special significance.
These are the colours in the soul, the emotions with which we relate to God in our own inner sanctuary..........blue, scarlet, purple, white..............

Donald Tabone

Feb 17th 2009, 15:28

"When I admire the wonders of a sunset, or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the creator." ... Gandhi

n camilleri

Feb 17th 2009, 15:03

WOW!! simply beautiful well done Joseph

julian carauana

Feb 17th 2009, 14:46

Nice picture Mr Fsadni.

I watched the sun go down from Sliema ( not as nice as This ) and I noticed the red sky, How does the maltese saying goes about red sunsets ?? soemthing about horses and races.

Red sky means WIND or NO RAIN???

Christine Galea

Feb 17th 2009, 14:17

I saw this sunset from Mtarfa and it was just as beautiful. The colours of the sky were amazing. Its gives glory to the wonderful world that God created.

Antoinette Mascari

Feb 17th 2009, 14:15

Simply the Best of Malta in God's colours.

This is the best picture for Sammy Bartolo's CD Il-Bajja taL-Mellieha.

Mr Joe Fsadni your are a very professional photographer and this is a lovely picture for a Maltese Calendar. Well done we should see more pictures of Malta like this.

Grazzi Times of Malta for sharing with us readers, from beyond the Maltese shores.

v.pulis

Feb 17th 2009, 14:01

Scenes like this remind me of the adage 'The best things in life are free'

gustavprivitelli

Feb 17th 2009, 13:59

How can one deny that God does''nt exist. The picture speaks for itself mainly to proof God''s existence. Only a fool says there is no God. GLORY TO ALMIGHTY GOD.

Toni Valletta

Feb 17th 2009, 12:22

Well done Joe. I was on the roof of the Tunnara Museum in Mellieha Bay when I saw the sunset with an amazing sky and wished I had the camera with me.Now I can keep this picture.

Anthony Grech

Feb 17th 2009, 11:32

'God's Hand at work.' Well done Joseph.

chris camilleri

Feb 17th 2009, 10:52

this is what Sammy Bartolo used to sing about!!!!

Maruska Agius

Feb 17th 2009, 10:09

simply wonderful!