SYDNEY SO GOOD!

Rod Lay explains the inescapable allure of Australia’s most famous city…

Sydney means many things to people – there is the obvious – the sunshine and weather and the beaches, to others there is the laidback attitude and lifestyle, or the food and wine, the diverse cultures, while some just love the sexual opportunities that this “Sin City” has to offer.

Sydney is a slutty town. Twinned with San Francisco, many in the sexually liberalising 70’s referred to both cities as Sodom and Gomorrah. Indeed, if you arrived by ocean liner on a sunny day through the heads of Sydney harbour in those days, anyone who had a keen eye would have noticed an abundance of naked men clambering and frolicking around the rocks and bays of the harbour, getting up to all sorts of sexual shenanigans.

“What I love most about Sydney though is that it’s a sexy city” 

The gay scene exploded in the 80’s and with it came saunas and bathhouses, and an underbelly world of illegal fuck bars. Alas, also not long after came AIDS and Sydney got hit early and hard, fuelling the God botherers to protest and demonise about the proliferation of the queers and how they were all going to bring death and destruction to these twinned cities.

The protesters are still here, but now the gays and the fuck bars are legalised with a very progressive “sex on premises” license.

What I love most about Sydney though is that it’s a sexy city, as opposed to just sexual. On a sunny day the harbour sparkles, the beaches become awash with near naked oiled flesh, the parks and road throb with joggers and hotties in fitness boot camps and the locals exude a happy and confident disposition.

Within 15 mins I can get to at least 6 open air Olympic size pools – they take their swimming seriously here as you can tell by the physiques of the many swimmers crammed into their tight Speedo “budgie smugglers” (possibly Australia’s greatest invention).

The most famous and popular pool with the gays – the curiously named Andrew “BOY” Charlton is one of my favourite spots – not just for the swimmers but for sheer location. Nestling on the edge of the harbour in Woolloomooloo Bay amongst a native Aussie bushscape, 5 minutes from the city centre and such icons as the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, the pool is one the best kept secrets from the tourist hordes.

As a lover of the European lifestyle also, whenever I have a “what am I doing in Oz” moment, I only have to pop down to this beautifully designed, glass walled pool perched above the harbour, take in the stunning views of the city and the swimmers, to bliss out and realise how lucky I am to live near this beautiful spot.

There are other things too. Returning to live here after residing abroad for over 20 years, I was originally filled with some intrepidation. Growing up with the cultural cringe in Oz in the 70’s, I had some fears of adjusting back to the country I had left. I needn’t have worried, in my absence Sydney had grown in to a vibrant international city with a lively entertainment scene and a sophisticated food culture to make many cities envious.

The city takes its food culture seriously and the variety and quality is astounding. Even coffee here is treated seriously, so much so that a top Barista can demand over $100k and earn more than many chefs. It’s hard to get a crap coffee in this city.

I also thought I’d miss the many cultures of Europe and the beautiful men from these countries. As much as the traditional tanned bronzed Aussie beach boy is a unique wonder of the world and beauty to behold, my global travels had taught me to appreciate men in many flavours. Stupidly, I had forgotten what a cosmopolitan city this is – the growth mostly built on post war European immigration, more recent times seeing an influx of migrants from all over the world.

With over 200 languages spoken here, Sydney is truly a multicultural city and that hot guy you’ve been eyeing up more than likely has his heritage from any corner of the planet.

For me, Sydney ticks all the boxes – with all of life’s sensual pleasures at your finger tips – sun, sea, sand, and sex – top that up with some great food & wine, and its hard to beat. I love it!

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