Travel Escapades: Budapest Part 2 -- mainly travel advice and recommendations

[NOTE: Sometimes what I write here is just a copy or re-write of something I have posted elsewhere -- on a discussion board or in an e-mail message]. However, those things get wiped away or lost so I sometimes use this blog to document and preserve what I have written specifically for some other reason or for some other audience. However, it may be useful info to JUB readers and it also saves me having to write it again.

Further, a blog is whatever the WRITER really wants it to be -- so it serves me as a kind of public diary and memory bank. ]

Trip to Budapest August 2005 (part of my first Eastern Europe journey) -- See my separate JUB blog (and on Blogger) entry about my first nude massage experience at Kiraly Baths, Budapest.

I got back in Sept 2005 from a trip to Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Croatia.
Budapest was the hottest party atmosphere -- a lot of tourists and hot Hungarian guys -especially on the weekends. I had fun at Action Club whose address is 42 Magyar (near Astoria Subway stop -- I think that is the address - -check cruisingforsex dot com to be sure ). It has a rainbow symbol on the door, but does not open until 9pm. You have to buy a minimun of 1300 fts (a couple of drinks -- beer is 500 forents) and keep up with the tab since you pay on the way out (a guy at the exit has to check your tab to see if you have paid yet before he unlocks the door). However, there is a back room where it got hot and heavy.

 I also had a very good time cruising for sex in Kiraly Baths - -it only for men on Tues/Thurs/Sat 10am-8pm? -- 3 hour time limit and bathing suit required, but that does not prevent sex in the pools, sauna and other areas. Rac and Rudas Baths are also supposedly good for male sex too but I did not have the time to try them. 

I heard there was nude sunbathing at Margit Island, but I could not find it -- the outdoor thermal baths was closed there that day. 

I did stroll completely around Margit Island and looked for a place to get naked but it was pretty busy with locals and tourists alike. There was also a large movie crew at one section which they blocked off, filming a scene with the river in the background.  I would love to return to try out the naturist sun terrace at Palatinus Baths, as well as some of the other places and see more sights.

I was there in late August - just missed the Palatinus (open air bath with nude sun terrace) because it closes each year around Aug 22.

The traditional Turkish and Hungarian baths are worth at least one visit- just for the ambiance and architecture. Kiraly was supposedly a lot quieter than it had been (see Budapest Gayguide.net articles) -- I admit it WAS fairly tame - although I did get my cock sucked in the steam room and also again in a more secluded area. I had fun - -but there was much more overt action in the dark rooms at Action Club. (as posted above). Hungarian men seemed not to hesitate to bareback so take precautions. 

I found some other info at:
http://gayguide.net/Europe/Hungary/

Look for info here too:
http://www.guidemag.com/travel/

http://www.cruisingforsex.com also has specific listings for many cities/countries with comments from people who have been there.

Additional sightseeing recommendations below by Teddski (on dudesnude (dot) com)

Rac Baths (Rac Furdo) - Built during the reign of King Zsignond in the early 15th century. Men only on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday and only open from 6:30 am - 6 pm and are particularly popular with the gay community. But watch for hustlers. Almost everyone that spoke English was looking to rent.

Rudas Baths (Rudas Baths) - A high domed roof admits bluish green light into the dark stone hall above the oxdigon shaped pool. Over 1,000 years old it was originally constructed by the Romans. A Men only bath that has a good reputation with the gay community. Open 6 am - 6 pm with a lot of high school age guys hitting the warm waters before classes.

Statue Park (Szobar Park) - A thirty minute trip to the south of the city is an open air exhibit of 42 Communist statues. They were originally located in all of the cities public squares, but were removed in 1989.

Chain Bridge - (Szechenyi Lanchid) Bridge over the Danube River connecting Buda and Pest.

St. Stephen's Basilica - Chief landmark of Pest that can hold 8,500 people.

Amstel River Cafe - I stopped in for lunch, mentioned to the waiter that I was from America, and the owner of the restaurant came over and spent 90 minutes telling me where I should go out in the gay community and places to really stay away.

Angel Bar and Disco -- The most popular gay bars with a fun dance floor.

Action Bar - No name posted outside. Look for the red light shining on a letter A. As mentioned above, a card is given upon entry and all drinks are charged to be paid in full when leaving the bar. This is done to keep hustlers from hitting on guys, since you really need to buy alcohol to stay.

An excellent guide is the Fodor's Prague and Budapest Guide.  See map below for nudist spots on the Danube River near Vienna, Austria.

Gran Canaria: Gay sunshine mecca in The Canary Islands of Spain

I go every year to Gran Canaria in March (this year in May was my 7th trip). So when asked to give some advice about flights or accommodations there I wrote the following:

The pics show me naked out in the Maspalomas Dunes, which can be reached on foot from the Playa del Ingles beach or by walking back from the shoreline toward central Playa del Ingles (town).  The major gay nightlife is usually found in and around the Yumbo Center, a large 4-story shopping complex, with numerous restaurants, souvenirs shops, fashion stores, etc. It becomes the local gay mecca sometimes after 11pm each night and is active until 3-4am. There are also sex clubs located within the Yumbo, mostly on the ground floor level, mixed in with the gay bars, several which have drag shows and strip shows.  
You can sometimes find good bargains for flights and hotels to Gran Canaria on the major travel booking sites, but not always the most popular ones, like Orbitz, Yahoo Travel, or Expedia. 



Instead take at look at:
http://www.alpharooms.com
http://www.booking.com

 

Alpharooms also has flights with hotel stay plans that can be quite cheap, although I have found it usually cheaper to book them separately. But it is worth checking out if you are coming from a major European city. 

Koka: The place that has been fairly nice (a small studio apt with kitchen and balcony or direct access to the pool), it's cheap (in March usually $30-$40 a night) and also not too far from the beach or to the Yumbo (gay nightlife) is:

Apartamentos Koka,
Avenida de Tenerife, 17 35100 Playa del Inglés, Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Palmas, Spain Tel 928 76 16 17

(I just checked these sites for possible booking for next March, the Koka is already fully booked. So you may find the same is true for your stay). 

However, there are dozens of similar apartamentos hotels, like the Koka, some with room and board plans. In fact, some may be closer to where you want to be. I suggest staying with walking distance of the Yumbo Center since you'll inevitably end of there late at night (there are taxis, of course) to more outlying areas (which are nicer and more expensive). 

It all depends on what you want or need out your vacation. 
I prefer to stay cheaply since I am usually not in the room at all except to sleep and sometimes cook my own meals. There are plenty of restaurants, of course. But the typical place in Gran Canaria has only the basic food (rather unhealthy too). So I prefer to save my money for splurging on gourmet meals in other larger cities in Spain and elsewhere in Europe. 

Note too that there is a city bus from the airport (LPA) that runs through Playa del Ingles and onward to the Lighthouse tower near the beach in the actual town of Maspalomas. 
In the two cities blend together and even the locals confuse the two locales. It's better to know the street names and have a map or the address of the hotel before you arrive. 
I got off at the wrong place once and had a long walk with a suitcase before I found it (or a taxi). 

P.S. There are a few exclusively gay hotels, but I prefer the 'straight' ones -- just because the services are the same but the clientele is not. Gay men can be snobby and even act condescending (especially some gay couples on vacation). At least the straight people will either be friendly or just plain ignore you. Besides, you have to pay premium prices for gay hotel (clothing optional or not). You're just as well off to be naked on the beach and in the dunes all day and then stay clothed at your place of accommodation. 

The Basement Studios is a gay hotel, but they also allow day and evening guest from outside, especially for their Wed night sex party. The Cellar (gay nude bar) is open nightly from 10:30 ish until late.