|
|
|
|
| ||||
|
Spain can be hot! And I'm not just talking temperature. The men radiate as much heat as the sun and when things get that hot, clothing becomes history and naked travel is the order of the day. Sunny Spain, gay friendly in every way, gets no gayer than Barcelona the jewel of the Catalan region. There's lots to recommend this city all on it's own: architecture, natural beauty, stylish and trendy everything alongside all the Old World charm you can take. But it also boasts great gay amenities. The heart of the gay scene in Barcelona is an area called the Eixample (eshaumplay is a rough pronunciation). It's trendy and is where all the gay bars and clubs are located. There are plenty of them, with wall-to-wall, nakedly delicious Latin guys. A word to the wise: Barcelona is a late night kind of place, and not just for gay tourists wanting to spot some flesh. People don't even think about dinner until 10 P.M. And going out to bars? Many don't get going until midnight and the purely dance venues start even later. Better make that a long disco nap. That said, you'll find plenty do and see once things get moving along. The list of bars is ever changing, but there are enough to satisfy, and many of them feature dark rooms, cruising bars and more. Carpe Diem (www.carpediembcn.com) is an elegant place which has a changing list of events. You may find yourself in the middle of a drag performance or surrounded by hot go-go boys, or just enjoying a cerveza with a darkly handsome Catalonian man. At New Chaps (www.newchaps.com) there are plenty of hot sights to drink in. Body parts contests, like the best chest competition, will have you searching for ways to see more Spanish flesh. At New Chaps, masculinity is the rule - macho was invented in Spain, after all. So, you'll find bears and more at this bar where the first floor has a large cruising area along with a great bar and their ground floor has private rooms, a dark room and then some. The cute and very friendly waiters are another reason for finding your way here. For strippers, Arenas (arenadisco.com) is the place you want to be. Lively, with a mixed age crowd, it's a place to start your naked night. If you want more naked sights, head over to MetroDisco (metrodiscobcn.com) and you will get more than you bargained for. If you're lucky enough to be there when they're holding a competition, you won't regret the trip. Their ChicoMetro contest brought out some of the steamiest Latin lookers you'll ever want to see. Of course, if you don't make it to a major contest, there are always the minor ones, like the Best Legs and the Best (bare) Ass competitions. If Fortune really favors you, you'll be there for the Carnaval del Sexo. You have not "carnavaled" until you've done this one. The men burn holes through the floor as they walk by (fainting now, pardon me as I fall back). After all that looking and no touching, what's a Naked Traveler to do? What any sensible guy who's in flesh shock should do: hit the tubs. Barcelona has plenty of saunas to choose from. A number of them are part of a chain, the Grupo Pases. Sauna Casanova (grupopases.com/saunacasanova.htm) has plenty of play room. It offers a dry sauna as well as a steam room. A dark room is there if you want to keep things really anonymous, but there are also private rooms for more revealing encounters. One interesting feature is the labyrinth; turn a corner and bump into a nude hunk and see where he leads you - not a bad way to spend an evening. There's a Jacuzzi, of course and a video lounge, along with what they call a "cruising zone." If that doesn't fill the bill for you, there are others. The Sauna Barcelona (grupopases.com/saunabarcelona.htm) is a new addition to the group and has a gigantic Jacuzzi - good for getting nakedly cozy with a lot of guys at the same time. Of course, the dry sauna and steam room are part of the scene but there are also aquatic beds and private rooms with their own Jacuzzis. The Sauna Condal (grupopases.com/saunacondal.htm) is similar, but the Sauna Corinto (grupopases.com/saunacorinto.htm) sports a Jacuzzi with views of the outdoors. Just the thing for naked aficionados who like being seen. And the Sauna Thermas (grupopases.com/saunathermas.htm ) has a pool, a small fitness area, and two steam rooms, along with other amenities. There's also a new place in town that's not part of the Grupo Pases, the Sauna Buenos Aires which is large, has a number of rooms, two dark rooms, bar service, massage, and more. You'll have to see for yourself. It's open every day, all day. If you're a fun-in-the-sun type, the you may want to pack up and take the short train ride to Sitges, a beach resort with a gay list all its own that is popular with gay men from just about everywhere. My Italian pal Mauricio never misses an opportunity to cavort on the beach there. But we'll leave the details of Sitges for another month. For now, enjoy the dark and nakedly handsome Latin pleasures of Barcelona.  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 Top |
|
||
| ||||
