I Have Arrived.
Where is my red carpet entrance?
 
Usually when a blogger starts to elaborate on his journey, the long hours on a plane and body pains are always the first to be mentioned.But why start off on a negative note? Who cares if I had sixteen hour flight, or if I waited 3 hours at a McDonald’s in China for my ride to finally show up. What really matters is the amount of trouble I am and will eventually get into as my life flourishes in Guangzhou, China.

I arrived on Monday the 24th and was some what appalled  when I learned that I had to stay at the University where my program is located. I am a city guy ( bright lights and chaos arouse me). But the University’s city is the complete opposite. It is secuestered and vapid. The excitement is non-existent. I had a few days till my internship started so I decided to have an adventure.

About a year ago, an article was published on the San Francisco Sentinel website about the police cracking down on gay men loitering in the People’s Park. I found this interesting and decided to venture and see why the police feel the necessity to harass the homosexuals. The park is located off of the Gong Yuan Qian Station, which is the crossing point between line 1 and 2.  The exit signs will lead you into a small underground mall with tons of little shops squished into any available space. If you make your way to the escalator than it will take you up to a large park. The park was filled with “mature” people dancing, hacky sacking, and playing badminton. On the left hand side of the park there lies the Gay Chinese Red Carpet. Men sit on the benches along the path and watch as other men stroll by searching for a reason to stop. I walked through this meat market and felt like Naomi Campbell on the runway.

Regardless of my sexual position, I decided to sit. A man immediately stared and passed by me three times before sitting down. The men here have to  resort to public bathroom jack off sessions and park flings not because it turns them on or is kinky but because many of the gay places are shut down by government or are strongly frowned upon. It is depressing.

I ended up sitting at another location. Two other Chinese guys approached me and one spoke English so we got to chatting. I told them to take me to a bar. All three of us got in the taxi and headed to a place called Velvet, which is located in the Taojin district very near to the Garden hotel. This was supposedly a straight bar that gay people took over. It started out as a mixed crowd and then around 12 the gays pour in. The managers allow only straight women to dance on the bar and have signs all over that say no kissing.They also walk around like police patrolling and if you are caught kissing too many times then they will kick you out. There is talk of the club shutting down and changing the name so that gays will no longer come. Many people come because of the international DJs. The entrance fee is 50 Yuan and the drinks are around 60 Yuan. Many foreigners party in this bar. Of course there are the local Chinese queens and “Mean Girls” that stare and act like they are too perfect for conversation. All and all the club is overcrowded and boring. But I met many friends that night.

The two Chinese guys that I came with did not want to pay the 50 Yuan so they left and I entered alone. I grooved back and forth at the bar for awhile while enjoying a Rum and Coke and some Lady Gaga. I noticed two foreigners at the bar so I approached them. One was from Russia and the other from New York. By the end of the night, New York and I had become the best of friends.  I was right to make friends with New York because I had free drinks from the bartenders all night and dirty looks from the Native Chinese. It ended up being a great time and the alcohol was stronger than in the States as well. It only took two drinks to bring out my “She Wolf” howl.

I ended up returning the next night with New York and found myself being very popular. I bought a Sprite because the night before had left my stomach  rocking and rolling, but the bartenders poured vodka into it while I was in the bathroom. They also challenged New York and I to a 3 way rock, paper, scissor battle that left the loser guzzling down shots of tequila. I had many people staring. I was the only person in the club who was of Latin origin. Asian is not exactly my type so any hairy masculine foreigner that walked in usually caught my attention.

An Algerian French guy strutted in and we had an instant connection. Apparently, he was a somebody in the gay scene so dirty looks and jealous turns were what the night had in store for me. One Chinese acquaintance of his even asked him why he was too good to date a Chinese guy. The Chinese guys hate when foreigners pair up. So the locals hated me but I didn’t care because the French guy’s rudeness kind of turned me on.

The French guy later asked me to go to an after party at his friends place. I showed up only to find two muscled Lebanese and Libyan guys working out in tight underwear. Three Chinese guys  came with us to the party and they were too scared to enter the apartment after seeing the men.They slowly backed away from the door so I pushed through them and entered with excitement. Just then, a third almost naked muscle man from Taiwan exited the bathroom and gave me a friendly nod. I hit the jack pot here! A hairy Lebanese, a Libyan apartment owning fashion designer, a french Algerian, three arrogant Chinese, a sweat dripping Taiwanese, and an all too curious American sat discussing life, indulging in some sin and enjoying the different types of company.

This is what traveling is all about. Learning and living from other people about what life is all about. We all have our different cultures and beliefs but we still find a way to just enjoy each other. It has only been a week and I have already learned and experienced so much.

You will have to continue on my journey with me and read my next blog to find out what happens from the party and on. It is kind of juicy.

Until my next life changing experience,

Johnny, PLEASE Be Good