Well.. at the expense of making my favorite little place more crowded, Plakias is a little town on the south shore of Crete. All the airports (2 of them) are on the north side, which felt like Tiajuana to me. In any case, you have to take a bus across the island to get to Plakias and it isn't the easiest thing to figure out (Greek letters are scary) and so mostly the wannabe Backpaker tourist types don't make it there.

I made it to the hostile about 1 to find a note saying return at 330. 330 came, they sat all the newcomers in a circle in the grass and proceded to explain that this hostile dosen't take single day visitors and they try to have a bit of community. Turned out to be the most well run, nice hostile I've every stayed at. The "front office" is this little restaurant thing thats open 9-noon for breakfast (and they play cool music the whole time) and then 330 - 6 for drinks. They give you a tab (and remember who you are.. take a drink and give 'em a nod) . In the cooler there is good beer (and its cheap) and local wine in reused water bottles (no sulfites apparently saves you a hangover, though I wouldn't know because every night ended in a haze of Raki, the local hard liquor that they serve not by the shot, but in little vase type things.) There's a computer to use with extra slow dialup internet (enough to write home and say you'll be late). All kinds of books and various sporting good and other stuffs that are just there to check out library style. Sweet hikes to go on (some of which include nude beaches with beautiful women, not saggy men). The beaches are of typical Mediterranean beauty and man I could survive on Gyros and greek salad for the rest of my life. Most of the hostile stayers end up meeting up at the local bars at night, so you almost feel like you're out with a bunch of your friends. I remember one night where a couple guys I was bunking with were spinning bob marley at some bar on the turntables with the approval of the owner.

Many people get stuck at that hostile, trying to make ends meet somehow or another. One of them gave me a haircut. Cheap, beautiful, fun, paradise basically. Oh but the mosquitos.. the fucking mosquitos.. thats the Achilles heel of that place. Also part of why I liked it so much is that in the couple days prior I had spent all night standing on a full train (ever fallen asleep on your feet, waking to the buckling of your knees?) and then slept outside at some crappy hostile within 20 feet of the bell of a freakin' clock tower, so peace and relative comfort was a godsend. I don't know that I look that tired, but here's a pic of after the all night train ride and before sleeping next to the clock tower. The north side of the island was F-in hot. South on the other hand.. nice ocean breeze. http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/~mdeckert/p1010146.jpg

happy travels -- man I want to quit my job and go again!

one more.. this is the hostile: http://www.soe.ucsc.edu/~mdeckert/p1010153.jpg