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©John Osborn 1999-2002
About Me who is this guy?

My name is John, but I use the nickname Ostraco on the Net. Ostraco is Greek for seashell. It also happens to be the name of my favourite bar in Plakias. I live in Plymouth, Devon – although I am Cornish by birth, and very proud of it. If you stay in the UK for a holiday, then Cornwall is the place for you! I think this Cornish upbringing is why I love the sunshine and the beach so much - after all, we do have the best beaches in the UK! In 'real life' I work in Computing - at the moment, I manage a Project Support Team which assists the development of major IT projects. This is interesting and varied (well, I have to say that in case my boss reads this) - and pays the bills! It also enables me to save up for my Plakias trips!

Me at the Lamon Hotel This is one of the few photos I have of myself in Plakias. This was taken about 6 years ago in the Lamon hotel. After a nice meal at the Glaros Taverna, we went to the Lamon for coffee and a Mataxa. However, it was quite busy, so the waiter said 'Help yourself'. I don't really think he thought I would - but hey, I needed some caffeine. Click on the pic and you'll see what happened! After that - I had to serve myself every night.
By the way - Lamon also serve excellent Baklava and other Greek pastries - perfect with after dinner coffee - or anytime! And it's my favourite place to stop on the way back from the beach for an end of day snack. My usual choice - yoghurt with fresh fruit and honey.
It’s more than 20 years since my first visit to Greece. At the time, I was really busy at work, helping to run a restaurant in my spare time, and taking part in a lot of amateur dramatics. No wonder I was stressed out. A very good friend of mine also needed a holiday, and suggested that we might both benefit from 2 weeks on a sunny beach. So off we went. At very short notice, and ended up in Lesvos, where we relaxed totally. That holiday is still very vivid in my memory – including the 36 hour delay on the way home. We were both hooked, and I’ve been back to Greece every year since – at least once. We tried several islands, before picking Plakias from the brochures, and loved it when we got there. The following year, everywhere we looked at didn’t seem as nice – so we returned, again and again. Eventually, my friend married – and her husband wouldn’t let her come with me! So I have been going with other friends, who all love it – or even on my own – ever since. It’s not the most attractive place I’ve visited. Or the cheapest. It’s just got that certain something which makes me want to go back for more. I’m even dreaming of a retirement home there – and I’m sure I won’t be short of company!
Fun in Hexagon This picture was taken in August '99. To this day, I don't know who took it! When I got home and downloaded my pics to the PC, there it was. So if it was you - own up! I might even treat you to a beer to say thanks! Yep - I'm behind the bar at the Hexagon Club. During the busy season, Yannis and Sharon, who run Ostraco, also used to run the Hexagon. This was a great place to dance and drink the rest of the night away. After about midnight, Yannis moved to the Hexagon from Ostraco, and (in my humble opinion) there is not a better DJ in Crete. I say this because Yannis doesn't just play the music he likes - he plays what the people who are in that night like to dance too, and he loves requests! Sadly, the Hexagon is no longer running - but the happy memories live on.

I love Greece, and have been to many of the islands – but Crete – especially Plakias - is my firm favourite. I hope the rest of this site will give you some idea why. About 7 years ago, I even started to learn Greek, and I’m still trying. It is difficult, but it is certainly worth the effort – if only to entertain the locals when trying to order a beer or a meal.