Happy New Year
It has been awhile, but then I have been busy bee. Work has been full on and I have been offline for the past two weeks (or just too lazy to go to an internet cafe). Having no access at home can really be an arse at time.
Christmas was an interesting time. I went back to my parents who live about an hour outside London and took Michael with me. My parents don't have much contact with gay people (that they are aware of) - not because they are prejudiced, but just because they never come across many. I wasn;t sure how they would react to Michael, but I must say they did rather well. My Dad was very sweet, calling me all week to see what Michael ate and what he drank etc. They seemed to get on well and we all went out to dinner on Christmas Eve. It is a bit confusing for them, because Michael and I do spend a lot of time together and I am often with him when they call; despite me telling them that we are not a couple, they don't seem convinced. Sharing a bed probably didn't help, but neither of us was going to go on the floor (my parents have quite a small place, we were sleeping on a sofa bed in the lounge). Actually when we got in on Christmas Eve, they had left two duvets out and arranged the sofa cushions on the floor. I'm not sure whether that was a sign that one of us should sleep on the floor or whether they were just trying to be accommodating - in their world, young men our age don't share beds. Anyway we did and they seemed to cope fine with it.
After dinner on Christmas Eve, I went down the pub and met up wth some old friends. Great night. I have my regular old friends that I see more often, but I saw some people on Christmas Eve that I have not seen for years and years. Really good to catch up with them and get some contact details. It was bloody cold though.
After Christmas was Budapest. I am determined to visit more parts of Europe now that I am here, so we went for a true winter break. It was possible the coldest I have been in my life. It snowed heavily while we were there (which Michael loved - at first). We all went up to visit Buda Castle, which is on a hill above the city and my feet were like ice. Being high up and exposed - I have never felt a wind like it. Must have been well below freezing. I had to keep going into cafes to warm up. I am not a winter person and this confirmed it - how people live in that for months of the year is beyond me. The trip was fun though, saw most of the sights and managed a few trips to the Turkish baths.
The Turkish baths were very interesting. In most of Eastern Europe it is a common thing to go with your friends to the baths and basically sit around in next to nothing talking and bathing. The first bath I went to was very ornate and mixed, so bathing costumes were compulsory. The second one gave me my first experience of wearing a loin cloth. I can tell you that not everyone looks good in one of those. The second bath was less ornate, but it still had the original Turkish dome dating from when the Turks occupied Budpest several centuries ago. There is a large pool in the centre and then around this area series of pools of varying temperatures. Besides these there are saunas, steam rooms, a massage area and also a relaxation area. But this is no bodyline - people really are there to cleanse, warm up and relax. Having said that, there were gay men there and there was that feeling in the air, between those in the know. Apparently it gets crusier the later in the day you are there (I was there in the early afternoon). Considering that in most of these countries homosexuality is still very much taboo, it is hardly surprising that a gay sub-culture should thrive in the baths.
Anyway I am now back in London and off to hit the sales, before I go back to work tomorrow. I am very jealous about the sun in Sydney I must say and one day I shall be back to enjoy it. I have to spend some time in my current job for now and I aim to go to Europe on holiday this year (Greece is currently top of the list), but one way or the other I plan to visit in some capacity in 2007.
Happy New Year and love to all.
Jon z
Christmas was an interesting time. I went back to my parents who live about an hour outside London and took Michael with me. My parents don't have much contact with gay people (that they are aware of) - not because they are prejudiced, but just because they never come across many. I wasn;t sure how they would react to Michael, but I must say they did rather well. My Dad was very sweet, calling me all week to see what Michael ate and what he drank etc. They seemed to get on well and we all went out to dinner on Christmas Eve. It is a bit confusing for them, because Michael and I do spend a lot of time together and I am often with him when they call; despite me telling them that we are not a couple, they don't seem convinced. Sharing a bed probably didn't help, but neither of us was going to go on the floor (my parents have quite a small place, we were sleeping on a sofa bed in the lounge). Actually when we got in on Christmas Eve, they had left two duvets out and arranged the sofa cushions on the floor. I'm not sure whether that was a sign that one of us should sleep on the floor or whether they were just trying to be accommodating - in their world, young men our age don't share beds. Anyway we did and they seemed to cope fine with it.
After dinner on Christmas Eve, I went down the pub and met up wth some old friends. Great night. I have my regular old friends that I see more often, but I saw some people on Christmas Eve that I have not seen for years and years. Really good to catch up with them and get some contact details. It was bloody cold though.
After Christmas was Budapest. I am determined to visit more parts of Europe now that I am here, so we went for a true winter break. It was possible the coldest I have been in my life. It snowed heavily while we were there (which Michael loved - at first). We all went up to visit Buda Castle, which is on a hill above the city and my feet were like ice. Being high up and exposed - I have never felt a wind like it. Must have been well below freezing. I had to keep going into cafes to warm up. I am not a winter person and this confirmed it - how people live in that for months of the year is beyond me. The trip was fun though, saw most of the sights and managed a few trips to the Turkish baths.
The Turkish baths were very interesting. In most of Eastern Europe it is a common thing to go with your friends to the baths and basically sit around in next to nothing talking and bathing. The first bath I went to was very ornate and mixed, so bathing costumes were compulsory. The second one gave me my first experience of wearing a loin cloth. I can tell you that not everyone looks good in one of those. The second bath was less ornate, but it still had the original Turkish dome dating from when the Turks occupied Budpest several centuries ago. There is a large pool in the centre and then around this area series of pools of varying temperatures. Besides these there are saunas, steam rooms, a massage area and also a relaxation area. But this is no bodyline - people really are there to cleanse, warm up and relax. Having said that, there were gay men there and there was that feeling in the air, between those in the know. Apparently it gets crusier the later in the day you are there (I was there in the early afternoon). Considering that in most of these countries homosexuality is still very much taboo, it is hardly surprising that a gay sub-culture should thrive in the baths.
Anyway I am now back in London and off to hit the sales, before I go back to work tomorrow. I am very jealous about the sun in Sydney I must say and one day I shall be back to enjoy it. I have to spend some time in my current job for now and I aim to go to Europe on holiday this year (Greece is currently top of the list), but one way or the other I plan to visit in some capacity in 2007.
Happy New Year and love to all.
Jon z