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I finally made it to Hyde Park, not to be confused with Green Park. Aside from the Serpentine (lake) with its absurdly tame swans and geese, and the rose garden later on, I didn't explore the park that much. That's because I sort of crashed a bisexual meetup that ended up with about a hundred people.
I say "sort of" because, well, I'm not bi. But I follow the righteous Hafsa (sounds like "HUFF-sah") Qureshi on Twitter because she's outspokenly pro-trans rights. I saw her announcement for the meetup earlier this morning, and I was planning on going to Hyde Park today anyway. I took it as a sign.
I came. I was social. Did you know drinking alcohol is legal in parks here? I didn't. Not that there was a bisexual riot or anything, but there was some low key consumption. I got some advice on what to do with my remaining time here:
Were there hotties? Sure, but I behaved myself because I was significantly older than they were, inclusive-or they were there with partners, and it Just Wasn't That Kind Of Party. They didn't have much to tell me about queer or kinky action happening here; it mostly hasn't restarted, they said. (Yes, two of them copped to going to kink events. Queers are awesome like that.) One of them expressed surprise that Torture Garden is happening tonight. More about that anon.
One kind of dark note: someone was bemoaning the commercialization of Pride in London. Yes, every queer in a big city does this, but apparently it's really bad in London. They said it was sponsored by defense contractors, banks, and AirBnB, "the people who make our lives miserable." Guess where I'm staying. Ahem. And there are several key safes on the outside of the building I'm in. Ah well, if it's any consolation to them, I have no idea if I'll be able to come here again, let alone when.
I say "sort of" because, well, I'm not bi. But I follow the righteous Hafsa (sounds like "HUFF-sah") Qureshi on Twitter because she's outspokenly pro-trans rights. I saw her announcement for the meetup earlier this morning, and I was planning on going to Hyde Park today anyway. I took it as a sign.
I came. I was social. Did you know drinking alcohol is legal in parks here? I didn't. Not that there was a bisexual riot or anything, but there was some low key consumption. I got some advice on what to do with my remaining time here:
- The Parkland Walk, which is a linear trail along an old rail right of way, with one end at Highgate.
- Brighton, which is a hella gay beach town on the English Channel.
- Bath, with nifty old stuff. The English do not use the word "old" lightly: Bath has Roman ruins.
- They said my co-worker's suggestion of Oxford was good except for one thing: you can't go into a lot of places unless you have a connection to the university.
Were there hotties? Sure, but I behaved myself because I was significantly older than they were, inclusive-or they were there with partners, and it Just Wasn't That Kind Of Party. They didn't have much to tell me about queer or kinky action happening here; it mostly hasn't restarted, they said. (Yes, two of them copped to going to kink events. Queers are awesome like that.) One of them expressed surprise that Torture Garden is happening tonight. More about that anon.
One kind of dark note: someone was bemoaning the commercialization of Pride in London. Yes, every queer in a big city does this, but apparently it's really bad in London. They said it was sponsored by defense contractors, banks, and AirBnB, "the people who make our lives miserable." Guess where I'm staying. Ahem. And there are several key safes on the outside of the building I'm in. Ah well, if it's any consolation to them, I have no idea if I'll be able to come here again, let alone when.
