Walk through gay London

Last friday,Aj and me decided it was time we started to experience London in the best way one gets to 'feel' any place- by walking.

In my enthusiasm (or josh ,like I would've said in Bangalore) I had brought the London Walks Volume 1 by TimeOut London last month. And the first walk listed in the book was titled 'Stepping out' by Graham Norton. So as you might have already guessed, it is a walk around the gay Soho and Bloomsbury areas of London.

Before we started the actual walk we turned left on Shaftesbury Avenue to enter London's Chinatown. The stark difference between this area and the world outside has to be experienced. There were too many eateries ,with food displayed to the outside world- roasted whole chickens ( and I imagine other stuff too) on skewers- for a vegetarian like me, it was an experience I 'd rather have amnesia for !!

Started off at Piccadilly Circus- a must-see tourist spot ,which is too touristy for its own good. Eros stands there looking all cute and silly....and we went past him to peep into the expensive restaurant Marco Pierre White at the Criterion.The guide suggests you peep into the hotel and we did- and it was a sight! Golden mosaics all over the roof and chandeliers.....hmmmm.....looked like a page out of the past.

We made our way to the Windmill theatre which apparently was the only theatre during World War II which didn't close down.They had a imaginative description for themselves- 'We never Closed' :-)) Oh well,what the heck ? I guess it is a big deal to be open when there are bombs falling all around you- I wonder who was there though? Can one actually go to theatre knowing very well that they might just become relics?
The Windmill Theatre is now a club- a lap-dancing club.The poster outside showed sexy legs of two women in thigh-high lace stockings and stilletoes....I am sure Aj was interested - I was damn curious too.

So, off we went into Archer Street and the guide informed us that we were seeing our first gay bar, called 'Bar Code'.There were couple of others on this street.There was no doubt about it - there was a buzz in the street.
We then saw our first gay departmental store called 'Prowler'. It was full of people so we just managed to see it from the outside.We then headed to Brewer street and saw a drag bar,MadameJo-Jos- apparently some of the scenes of the Kubrick film, 'Eyes Wide Shut' ,staring Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise,was filmed here.

Saw a whole lot of other gay bars like the Village,Balans,Admiral Duncan( where a bomb went off in 1999 as an act of homophobic sentiments harboured by some Londoner), Comptons (on Old Compton Street- the heart of gay London where we once saw a drag- queen parade),and a well known hotel ,Kettners,where Oscar Wilde apparently hosted dinner for a group of young men in 1892....hmmmm......

Then we were in Frith Street where there is a building where John Braid demonstrated Television for the first time in 1926.Amazing,isn't it?
The adjacent building was where Mozart stayed suring his visit to London and composed some of his works- even more amazing!!
The Ronnie Scott's jazz club was opposite these buildings - and I found Aj promising himself he is going to be back to listen to his fav genre of music- you guessed it- jazz.

We then found ourselves in Soho square. It was a warm summer day in London and the park was full of people- more men than families or women, but what happened just then will remain in my memory forever.
A young girl (maybe 2 years old max)was running naked,fully wet after having a shower I guess!! Her gleeful laughter and her antics filled that part of the park, with her embarrased mom running behind her!! The kid ran into her dad's arms ,who was mighty amused!! It was so innocent and sweet. Just warmed my heart.

I enjoyed the walk- we plan to finish the second half of it when we actually move to Bloomsbury in September. There was an energy I could sense on Old Compton Street which I have felt in very few streets in London.The gay community was at ease with everyone else and that was what made me happy. A space for everyone-with no one feeling threatened by another. A vibrancy which makes the world whole and cool. And the men- so hunky that I was positively salivating! I am, surely going to go back to Soho again to explore the smaller lanes and streets and , you are right , to check the men out. You see, they are gay, I am not- perfect!!

The next post will tell you where we ate- it needs to be told separately. Food, is priority.