The Naked Traveler

By JRG DeMarco

Vancouver, BC

    Vancouver, one of the most livable cities in North America, is also one of the most nakedly delightful. Canada's third largest city has a population of over half a million, including a lively gay community.
    Some useful websites include gayvan.com, vanpride.bc.ca, glba.org, tourismvancouver.com, and iglta.org. Should you need help while there, the Centre (lgtbcentrevancouver.com) offers many services and a Prideline (604-684-6869) from 7pm to 10 pm every evening.
    Davie Village (davievillagebia.com), on Davie Street between Burrard and Jervis in the West End, is where gay life is centered. It even stretches beyond its unofficial borders. Davie Village is where the main action is, and there's plenty going on. Bars, saunas and shops will keep you busy the entire time you're there.
    The Naked Traveler makes it his business to scout out spots where naked is king, and so it was with Vancouver. A number of bars and clubs have strippers and some have amateur strip nights or body contests - no better way to show all of yourself to the gay denizens of Vancouver. Club 23 (Saturday is gay night) makes a naked name for itself; once or twice a month they have a Naked Heaven night where it's men only and nudity is mandatory.
    At Numbers (numbers.ca) the first Monday of each month is Amateur Strip night. On Fridays and Saturdays, professionals dance for you. Another venue, Odyssey (theodysseynightclub.com) will take your breath away. On Thursdays they have special hot, hot strip shows beginning at midnight. Then on Saturdays you can watch the Fallen Angel, where the go-go gods go all the way. Midnight is the stripping hour. On Sundays, catch your breath at Feather Boa night, featuring - what else? - a drag show. Wednesdays are reserved for Queens, and a chance to be Queen for a Day. Go find out. I don't want to ruin the surprise. And don't miss Fridays at Odyssey where the dancers are naked "in the cage, the shower, and your face." Whew!
    Pump Jack Pub (pumpjackpub.com) is where to find leather, bears and more. On second and fourth Saturdays, "Show Your Stuff." You can win $100 for the best chest, ass, or whatever body part is being celebrated.
    Celebrities (celebritiesnightclub.com) is newly renovated and boasts the latest sound, lighting, and visual tech equipment. With a huge dance floor and a second floor that has a relaxing ambience, Celebrities is a cool place to while away the night. Would the Naked Traveler recommend it if there were no strippers?Well, yes, but the hot men make it more delectable. DJs like Junior Vasquez make regular appearances at Celebrities and it is also the site for the Snow Ball where guys go all the way - take that however you like.
    Hotel Dufferin offers a place to stay as well as a club (the-duff.com). With an honor roll of strippers to swoon over, the Dufferin is a must-see. These guys are pros and know how to strut their stuff the right way. Dufferin also offers drag shows and cozy atmosphere.
    For those who like more "hands-on" naked experiences, there are saunas. The diverse men of Vancouver are gorgeous and one way to meet some is at the tubs. The largest, Fahrenheit 212 (f212.com), is clean, has a huge membership, and its own brand of lube, plus 50 rooms, a video area with fireplace, a maze and a darkroom (not for developing pictures). There's a 12-man Jacuzzi, two steam rooms, and a snack bar. Weekends are packed. F212 is open 24 hours, and has a weekday special, the "Dip 'n' Dash" from 11am to 3pm, when you can get a two-hour locker for five dollars.
    The newest F212 addition is M2M (m2mplayspace.com) This is a steamy, almost austerely decorated, playland for men who like leather, steam, jocks and Levis. If you're one of these, or just an admirer, take a look and stay awhile. You might be nakedly pleased.
    Weather permitting, try Sunset Beach, English Bay, the Second and Third Beaches - all located along the Seawall Promenade at the end of Davie Street and into Stanley Park.
    The Jewel in the Beach Crown of Vancouver is Wreck Beach, so named not because folks there are a wreck but maybe because you'll be a wreck after you see all the nude hunks sunning themselves. Wreck Beach (wreckbeach.org) is roughly 5 miles of nude beach - lots of it claimed by gays. It follows a promontory with a lush green forest area and is idyllic, to say the least. It gets more than half a million visitors each year. That's a lot of nude for your buck. On many weekends you'll find yourself rubbing ... um ... shoulders with perhaps 14,000 others. You'll also find college students in summer trying to pay their way through school by selling refreshments. Of course, they are attired in thongs or string pouches. And it's all legal fun.
    Wreck Beach provides a list of rules. Two of the Naked Traveler's favorites are: "Show the public that Nude is not lewd or rude!" And the other, "Get Nude! Respect Nudity and the Privacy of others and experience the joys of naturism!"
    What can one say to that except: Enjoy naked pleasures which you can find almost everywhere you go.

Joe DeMarco's latest projects include The Lavender Raven, an online GLBTQ mystery & more journal, at www.lavenderraven.com, as well as Mysterical-E, www.mystericale.com. Joe's website is www.josephdemarco.com

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