Sunday, October 17, 2010

Traveller: A Wide-eyed Wanderer

Going to different places could be really fun. I am the type who would easily get excited to pack things and stuff and dream about so many things to do in the chosen destination. Ever since I got into this sales and distribution job, the opportunity to travel appears to be endless.

I travel within the confines of the Philippines. I've been to almost all the major cities and towns in the south. I've seen a lot of interesting places, done a lot of interesting things,and met a lot of people of various socio-economic and cultural background.

I am not the type who would demand for a first class accomodation or a business class seat or go around town on a chauffeur-driven ride.I am not finicky. I am practical. I do not complain much, as long as I got a decent place to stay and the weather is okay.

There are places down south which tickled my memory.

Who would have thought that there's a gay bar in the "Tuna Capital of the Philippines"? I've gone there in two occasions with my friends and not surprisingly, the dancers looked the same - stallions. Their faces kinda looked like horses. I'm sorry.

In Metro Davao, I've visited Salambat which is a few blocks away from Damosa. I think this is the only surviving gay bar in the city. There used to be another one in Cabaguio which was raided at some point and ordered closed by the city mayor. The dancers in Salambat gyrate to Celine Dion's music or to Sarah G's songs while holding candles and whips. They used the metal poles a lot.

There was a Navigator Bar in Cagayan de Oro. I think it's related to the gay bar of the same name here in Mandaue City. It's a few blocks away from where I was bileted. My officemates and I agreed to check the place out. When we got to the spot, we learned that the bar was already turned into a coffee shop.

In Cebu, one of the party places is that loud enclave near Fuente Osmena, along Gen. Maxilom. There's a bar for the men(almost) where they could just do what they want to do - kiss, embrace, grope or fondle with wild abandon. Numero Doce. Right beside it is discobar where most of the straight ones go.

Tacloban City has comedy bars. There's one which I visited early this year where everybody is encouraged to sing on stage. The host was a drag queen. But unlike the comedy bars in Manila and in other places, this host didn't engage in any okrayan. She's too kind, entirely the opposite of Vice Ganda. I asked around. My friend said that the reason why they chose to be polite on stage is because a host of another bar was stabbed to death by a customer who sang on stage but was joked upon by the said host.

There's not much of a nightlife in Cotabato City. Malls and shops close before night fall. There are few resto-bars along Sinsuat Ave which close late in the evening.

The City of Smiles may be a disappointment for the gay bloke. There's no gay bar in Bacolod. Nightlife is contained in the entertainment complex that is the Goldenfields. There you would find the old whites holding hands with the exotic and the erotic femmes. There's nothing much to do at night but to just linger in one of their coffee shops.

The former Queen City of the South, Iloilo has its own party district. The Smallville. There's a place of worship for the PLU as well. Aptly called Paraiso. But I haven't gone there. It's difficult to find.

Back in Cebu, there's much ado about the lingam massage. There used to be one along F. Ramos St. but it ceased operation after the city government banned anyone from operating such spa. It's not a great loss for PLU because there's no lingam masseur in town, only females.

These are just a few of the kinky places in the south. Others are waiting to be discovered.

I am a traveller. I will never cease to wander. I love the feeling that my slightly-chinky eyes go wide sometimes.

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