hojacat

One advantage of paying at the reception instead of using the machine is that you can use your credit card if needed. One great thing about gay saunas in Japan is that, despite the various restrictions—and sometimes stricter ones for foreigners—the entry fee is the same for both locals and foreigners. This is quite different from much of the rest of Asia, where dual pricing is common in places like Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Singapore. The receptionist at Kaikan in Shinjuku has always been kind to me, though I'm not sure if it's the same person working in the afternoons. For some reason, I tend to visit saunas in Japan after 10 or 10:30 PM, thinking that's when Japanese guests usually go—unlike in other parts of Asia, where peak hours are typically between 7 and 9 PM. I should probably try going earlier sometime; if I’m not mistaken, the entry fee is even cheaper before 9 PM. Two other places I’d recommend in Tokyo are Body Breath and J-Spark. I’m not sure how "daddy"-friendly they are, but they’re worth checking out. However, on my last trip to Japan this April, my favorite was definitely Daikichi in Osaka. I’m not sure if it was due to the Expo in town, but the crowd was fantastic—lots of young twinks, both Japanese and foreign. It almost felt like the old Hokuoukan, which sadly closed around two years ago.

No, it has nothing to do with COVID. Late February to early March is when Sydney traditionally hosts its gay pride event, officially known as the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The WorldPride event that took place during the COVID emergency was held in Copenhagen, in mid-August. I remember Denmark had lifted most restrictions, including the mask mandate, just a week before Pride. People were happy simply to gather in groups again, but the event was overall much more toned down compared to the one before it in New York City and the one after in Sydney. June is when the Stonewall Riots occurred in NYC, which is why most cities hold their Pride parades during that month. However, some major gay destinations celebrate Pride in other months—for example, Berlin Pride is at the end of July, and Amsterdam Pride is in early August. I assume Tokyo and Bangkok want to align with the "June Pride Month" theme and have scheduled their parades accordingly. For Tokyo, even though it can be a bit hot, the weather is still manageable. But for Bangkok, it would definitely make more sense to host Pride at a different time of year. At least I'm glad Taipei continues to hold its Pride at the end of October. Even though there's always a risk of rain, it's a much nicer experience to walk in cooler weather than if it were held in June.

Well, if a beautiful city like Cape Town, despite its serious public safety issues, can host a WorldPride, Tokyo definitely has the infrastructure and capabilities to host such an event. Keep in mind also that WorldPrides haven't always been hosted in super gay-friendly places. I was a middle school student in Italy when the first WorldPride took place in Rome in 2000, which was a Jubilee year. Besides the expected criticism from the Catholic Church, both the Prime Minister and the Mayor of Rome, though both belonging to left-wing parties, ended up being against the parade. The former said that a gay pride event in a Jubilee year was very inappropriate but that unfortunately he couldn't block it because of the Constitution, and the latter rescinded the city's financial support, though it was then partially restored. However, he insisted that the organizers couldn't use the city's logo for any event. The next one in Jerusalem was even more problematic, and I think there were even doubts about the personal safety of the attendees at one point. Why hasn't Tokyo decided to apply for WorldPride? I need to ask my friends in Tokyo more about this, but I would speculate that either there isn't a local gay organization big enough to pursue the candidacy, or if there is, the whole Kaohsiung Pride controversy might have caused them to view InterPride, the organization that assigns the event, with a more doubtful eye. They might think it's an organization with a political agenda that goes beyond gay rights. Personally, I have been to the last three WorldPrides (NYC, Copenhagen, and Sydney) but I'm going to skip the one in DC. I think the one next year in Amsterdam might be more interesting

Actually the world pride is always scheduled as a two weeks event, with several activities on each day. As you can see from their history and the numbers you brough about the attendants to the ones in Paris, the Gay Games are an event mostly popular in North America and to a lesser degree in Europe, and even there probably to an over 40 age group. Outside those areas many people might not have heard of it, when on the other hand everyone knows what a pride parade is. so HK should have done double the usual promotion to neighboring markets just to familiarize them with the concept of Gay Games. Of course, co hosting it with a city which is much closer and cheaper to probably the biggest visitor's market of the event, were not going to help HK with the attendance number for the games, no matter the political situation in the city. I think Bangkok should definitely bid for the world pride in 2030 when they have a high chance of getting it though I don't think June would be the best month to host it in there if they are indeed going to host them.

Gay Games are a much smaller event compared to World Prides. I remember the ones in HK took part in mid November, just two weeks after Taipei pride. I asked most of the people I met that weekend in Taipei if they were going there also. Only one Singaporean guy was planning to go, most didn't even know the event existed. My HK friends said there was pretty much no promotion in the city about it and that the only visible sign was a slight larger number of foreigners in clubs and saunas. As for Taipei hosting them, if you see my other post about the world pride, I think they have no intention to apply anytime soon.

I don't think Taipei is going to apply anytime soon as they might get caught in the same controversy as Kaohsiung did. This year world pride which will take part in Washington DC this weekend was originally scheduled to be hosted by Kaohsiung, Taiwan, marking the first WorldPride to be held in Asia. However, WorldPride and the Kaohsiung hosts came into conflict over the branding of the event, and withdrew in August 2022; WorldPride had requested that the event be named "WorldPride Kaohsiung" or "WorldPride Kaohsiung, Taiwan", despite having previously agreed to using "Taiwan" (which was chosen for alignment with Taiwan Pride, and to be inclusive of plans for associated events outside of Kaohsiung). WorldPride stated that this was for consistency with its prior events (which have typically used the host city name), but reports indicated that WorldPride's changes may have been politically-motivated due to Chinese government policies that do not recognize Taiwan as a separate country from China. I think another Asian city with the potential of hosting a world pride is Tokyo. This year they moved their pride from April to June and officially called it Tokyo Pride instead of Rainbow pride. The Shinjuku ward government is also pretty gay-friendly, but i guess there is not a strong ush by the local organizers for such an event.

Wasn't Bangkok supposed to apply for it in 2028? Looks like they didn't as on Wikipedia it says that the only candidates were Guadalajara and Cape Town. Surprised no Asian city have hosted a world pride so far.

I'm only at 5. This year will be my 6th.

I never experienced a hotel in Taiwan where you even had to check in any of your guests, let alone not being allowed to have them in. In most of them you will have to pick up the guy at the lobby since key is required to access your floor, but other than no restrictions on who you can have in your room.

The address is: No. 17, Quanyuan Road, Beitou District, Taipei City, exit 1 of Xinbeitou MRT. I think the entrance fee was just 250, if I remember correctly. Of course it's an American company. You can download either in Thailand or Taiwan. it will use the same language as set up in your Google Play or iOS app store. That's what just my friend has told me. I've only been to emperor twice. I usually go to hot springs when I'm in Taiwan in January and/or March, other times is kinda too hot for me to go to a hot spring. I'm usually a more "straight-to-the-point" type of a guy, so going to a place where I have to wonder if one is gay or not, if it's an appropriate time to touch him or not, ends up being annoying and even a bit boring. I know though that for a lot of people that's what all the thrill is about. I much prefer going to an explicit gay sauna, which I only judge it by the size, age and quality of the crowd that attracts. it's true that same gay saunas have also good facilities, but that's more of an afterthought. Going to the right day and time on soi13 provides a high number of hot twink bodies which you can see, hear and feel right away. If I'm going to a hot spring or spa to relax that the cleanliness and comfort of the facilities is the number one criteria and based on that there is much better both in Beitou and Taipei in general than Emperor, so I usually go to other ones.

what's the check in like and are they ok with guests?

Just take an Uber, at least on your way back. it's never more than 300NTD. According to my friend who goes there often, the best time to go is actually Thursday night, even more than on a weekend. I also would recommend another place called Shan Yue Hot Spring which is 2 minutes walk from XinBeitou station. I think it's popular with gays on Friday and Saturday nights. I went on a Friday night with a Taiwanese friend. Would suggest going around 8-8:30pm. Most of the action actually happens after 10 when the place doesn't accept new customers but the one already present can stay. It's more like an hotel with a man-made sauna but the crowd is really hot, like 90 percent all twinks and jocks between 20-35. I was the only westerner. Didn't play because we left around 9:30 but got the line of one guy which I met later at my hotel and also a guy I hit up later on Grindr told me that he had seen me there. It's not exclusively gay, but they are at least 3/4 of the customers in there.

I have stayed a few times with the last being just in March at an Airbnb in HCMC called Soho Hotel and Residencies. It's a high rise near the walking street. I would say around 50 percent of the building is occupied with short-term guests. You can book through Airbnb, Bookings, Agoda or they even have their own website. I think based on where you book you might even have daily cleaning included. I have booked through Airbnb, so never got it but I have seen the cleaning lady going into some rooms. Think next time might ask the host if they can provide it cause after just the third night my bedsheets show the signs of the high activity level I have on my bed. Checking in has always been super easy. Just walk in straight to the mailbox, get the elevator key and then use a code provided for the apartment's door. Never had to check in or register any of my guests and I have brought people over pretty much every hour of the day or night, from 8:00am-5:00am. they even have free parking, which is pretty useful. I usually book a studio apartment, but it's quite spacious, offers great views and even has a washing machine. I hope that because it's registered also as an hotel they will continue operating in the same way. I don't really wanna use an hotel again in HCMC or Vietnam for that matter. The boutique ones are not that good and the one from international chains have too many restrictions when it comes to guests. In Phnom Phen have used kinda the same type of place the last three times. It's called M residences. It's a high rise and they offer both short-term and long-term apartments. There also have never had an issues with bringing guys at my place. As for Bangkok, I only did it three times in late 2019 and early 2020. I stayed at this place called Klass Silom. As mentioned in here, you had to go through the garage to get in as the front gate would open only by scanning your fingerprints. During the check-in you would had to wait for someone to go in so you could get inside and then get the key in the mailbox. I remember the last time, even the garage was not accessible anymore, so you actually had to wait each time for someone to get in through the main gate so you could also sneak in. Needless to say, that was my last time in there as hotel rates also were quite cheap once Bangkok reopened after Covid. Now though as rates keep going up, I wouldn't mind exploring again the possibility of staying at an Airbnb. Does anyone have any good recommendation for places at Silom?

Yeah, I just discovered it by chance on libgenesis. if anyone is interested reading the book they can message me directly and I can provide the link for downloading the book for free. I'm sure you and others who have lived those years would also find interesting the chapters about Thailand and Japan, the other two Asian countries he covers in that book. Personally I also found amusing his chapter about Montevideo, which is a city I plan to visit this August. Was his English name Sam Sasha by any chance? The author mentions meeting this guy called by that name, who had studied at the University of Texas and in Germany and who had written a book called 25 questions about homosexuality and another one that was a compilation of Chinese historical documents about same-sex love, but never provides the name of the latter book. Yes and I think for the better. I belong to another generation so have known only the HK of the last 10 years but reading that book didn't match the impression of some people in here of how good the old times in HK were compared to nowadays. Honestly, I'm quite happy to be able to discover HK and other Asian cities during these times compared to 30-40, or I would say even 20 years ago.

I was just reading last week this book called "Out in the World: Gay and Lesbian Life from Buenos Aires to Bangkok" by Neil Miller where he covers different countries in 6 continents. It's not really a travel guide but each reads more like a magazine report about gay life and community in each country. The book was published in 1992, so is definitely outdated but it contains some interesting historical information and descriptions. Tbh, his chapter about HK has a bit of gloomy tone. He mentions the two establishments you quote: Disco Disco (who he claims that people just call it "the disco") and Waltzing Matilda (same as you he mentions the bar was of dubious character and that it attracts teenage gangs and their girlfriends). He also mentions another bar called the Dateline (and which is called just "the bar") around the corner of the Disco. According to him, the bar tends to be quite segregated between Chinese and Westerners. Here, he meets Julian Chan who he claims is the most important and probably the only gay activist in HK. He is the founder of the Ten Percent Club, the only gay club in HK. He mentions the same guy again when the author visits Bangkok for the Third Asian Lesbian and Gay Conference. A letter written by Julian informs the participants about the decriminalization of homosexuality in HK. The vote he says was 31-13. The chapter of HK ends with him visiting a public lavatory known as a gay cruise spot where he sees a guy he had a long conversation only 30 minutes before but who pretends not to know him. "If you want to understand gay life in HK, this is where you will find it" the author was told about public lavatories where gay man cruised and had sex. Yes, that's what I mention in my post but some of those bars might be worth checking like the one with free cocktail nights. if anyone is interested about recent reviews of gay saunas in HK, they can read my older posts in here. I go in great details on what day and time to go and what's the main crowd on each of them My favorite remains Hutong.