|
|
|
|
| ||||
|
It's been quite a while since we looked in on the naked traveler's dream destination: Montréal, so it's high time we took another gander. Even with the exchange rate taking a historic dip, Montréal is still a great place to go and unparalleled in terms of naked delights. As was the case some time ago, Montréal is still a city where gay and straight people get along with respect and civility. It's also a city with a sex-positive attitude. Gay people are welcomed with open arms. Le Village, a sprawling area, is the center of gay life in the city and it has been for some time. Stretching from Ste. Catherine est nearly from St. Hubert and running, west to east, past rue Papineau, this area has been expanding with businesses and housing since the previous time we visited, and there's no end in sight. The gay neighborhood also runs on a north-south axis off the many streets between. Gay flags fly proudly everywhere. There are plenty of places to stay in Le Village if you want a total experience – many are B&B-type hotels with cozy rooms, amenities, and great staffs. Or you can choose a large hotel experience. The naked traveler will want to start skin spotting as soon as he arrives and that's easy to do. You will find an abundance of gorgeous men all over the place - in Le Village and other neighborhoods. You can meet some of these guys at the many bars and clubs the gay neighborhood offers. Parking (parkingbar.com) is one of the first stops you might make. A large facility, when you enter you'll have a choice: the Nightclub, like a never-ending circuit party, is upstairs and you'll have to pay; the Garage, a themed bar with lots of nooks and crannies, and men enough to fill a small stadium, is downstairs and free. On some nights they have sex shows - this traveler remembers a "show your dick" contest in which participants stood behind a wall and stuck their prized possessions through a glory hole. Of course, the critique by the drag-queen-in-charge and the reaction of the crowd often led to wet noodle status for some contestants. There are other bars, like L'Aigle Noir (aiglenoir.com), a large leather bar with several floors and more men in leather than you'll have time for even if you stay a month. It's lighted theatrically and the men are friendly. You'll want to check the schedule for the wet underwear contests. Another Levi's and leather hangout is Le Stud (studbar.com) which is a very friendly establishment with men, men, men, dance floor, and more. When it's crowded, and all those hot bodies are steaming up the place, you'll be glad you decided to try it. The list goes on. Amble down Ste. Catherine and you'll find a bar that caters to your taste -from cozy nooks, to dance clubs like the Sky Pub, to friendly karaoke bars. But you're wanting something even more nakedly pleasing and Montréal is ready to offer that to you. The bars with nude dancers are a feature of the gay scene here that you will not want to miss. Some of the finest male strippers anywhere on the planet grace the stages in these bars. There are, at present, four to choose from. Campus (campusmtl.com), Stock Bar (stockbar.ca), L'Adonis and Taboo. Each has dancers that cater to different tastes. This naked traveler finds that his taste expands to all four places every time he goes. At Stock, you enter an elegant world of red curtains, tables and multiple stages. Dancers do their thing, which means going all the way down to nothing-left-to-the-imagination, then they move among the guests. Friendly in the extreme, these guys spend a lot of time talking with customers. As at the other bars, you can have a private dance with the guys. It's well worth the charge of 10-20 dollars Canadian. But be advised, it's hypnotic and you'll forget to count the songs as they go by unless you stay focused. Which is not easy at all. At Campus, open 3 P.M.-3 A.M., there are two shifts of dancers. From 3 P.M. to 9 P.M., you get one set of guys and after that another set. It's impossible to say which is the more beautiful group of men - you'll have to judge for yourself. For their private sets, you can choose a table dance for your group that's in the midst of everything. But you can also choose to go to one of the private booths and have your own get-to-know-you time. L'Adonis and Taboo are much the same, with the differences being mainly in the types of dancers. Whatever your taste in eye-candy, you will find a place to satisfy it. For a more close-up naked experience, try one of the 12 or more saunas - each one more interesting than the next. The largest, with 130 rooms, is the 456 (le456.ca) one of the best. An internet lounge, steam room, dry sauna, large pool, sling room, glory holes, massage therapy, and more. What else can you ask for? Oh, yes. Men. Well they have those, too. Lots and lots of them. The Oasis (saunaoasis.net) is a classy place, as well. Rooms, 10,000 square feet of space, glory holes, snack bar, and a cinema - again, lots more than you might expect. And starting soon, Foam Tuesdays. There are at least 10 more: GI Joe, Centre Ville, Saint-Hubert, the 1286, the 226, the 5018, the 3481, the Ste. Cath, the Sauna du Plateau, and Bain Colonial. All are worth a visit. Stay tuned: someone always has a bright new idea for a different approach. Without doubt, Montréal is a destination gay naked travelers will not want to miss.  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 |
|
||
| ||||
