Hamburg, Germany - versus- Montreal, Quebec

[imrthr]

I just returned from vacationing in Hamburg, Germany. It had been only two years since I was last there. I chose to go to Hamburg because I had visited there many times and because it was one of my favorite cities accept, of course, Montreal.

 

Hamburg was very much like Montreal in that it had an area where one could find and meet good-looking hustlers. Moreover, Hamburg had a lot of clubs similar to those found in Montreal (Stock, Campus, et cetera). Strip dancers were available to a customer just as they are in Montreal. The main difference between Hamburg’s gay village and Montreal’s gay village is that the language and the guys in Hamburg are predominately blond while in Montreal they are predominately brunette.

 

In just two years, the social aspect of Hamburg has deteriorated from the way it formerly was. The gay clubs that were located on the Reeperbahn have been closed or moved. The hustlers that were always available on the Reeperbahn have vanished. The few clubs that remain have been moved (been pushed) to a seedy side street from the Reeperbahn. Worse yet, there is now a "cover charge" or entrance fee to enter the relocated clubs. Once inside, after paying the entrance fee, a customer is required to immediately purchase a "two drink minimum.” Following the customer’s purchase of the minimum drinks, the customer gets approached and harangued by pushy hustlers who beg for drinks at a premium price. If a drink is purchased for one of the hustlers, the hustler then nags the customer to take him back to the customer’s hotel or to a back room where the customer is required to pay a rental fee for the room as well as pay for a bottle of liquor to take to the little room in the rear of the bar. Given the foregoing facts and observations, Hamburg’s formerly gay section of the Reeperbahn has become little more than an unfriendly commercial enterprise which provides little or no enjoyment for the customer. How sad this is.

 

Harold's Hotel, which was analogous to Bourbon Hotel in Montreal and which always had good-looking hustlers hanging around outside or in the vicinity, is now just a shell of what it was. I asked the clerk behind the desk at Harold's Hotel what happened to the area and why the area had changed so rapidly. He told me that the Reeperbahn is changing to suit the strait crowds. He also told me that the crime rate against gays, on the Reeperbahn, is on the rise in Hamburg. He further stated that hustlers who formerly congregated around and in front of Harold's Hotel or in the vicinity were frequently harassed and often beaten up by "straits" who want the Reeperbahn to become totally free of gays.

 

Hamburg was such a disappointment. I doubt that I will return.

 

On the bright side, we still have Montreal despite the recent changes concerning $10.00 versus $20.00 dances and whether doors or curtains are open or closed. Ignoring that present and temporary controversy, we should all be thankful that we have Montreal. There now exists no other place in the world like it. We can frequent the Montreal clubs without a cover charge or entrance fee. We are not required to purchase a minimum number of drinks. The crime rate in Montreal’s gay village is minuscule. But, best of all, the gays are, for the most part, not bothered by ordinances. A plus is that the guys (dancers and hustlers alike) are friendly and have charms that we no longer find in the U.S. or other places. Face it, Montreal is good, grand, great, swell and fun, isn’t it?

[Luv2play]

Thanks for your update on Hamburg. It was a city I was toying with revisiting after an absence of (OMG) 30 years!!! Well, that's now scatched off my list of cities to visit. I was in Berlin several years ago and found it to be gay-friendly, although the gay clubs and restaurants are spread all over city in pockets and you need to move around a lot to take it all in, unlike Montreal. Maybe a bit more like New York now, where the gay action that used to be concentrated on Christopher St. has now morphed elsewhere like Chelsea.

 

As I spend the summer and fall in Montreal, I can attest to the excellent atmoshere we have in our gay village. As for your comment on the controversy about $10/20 dances, this is vastly overblown and patrons and dancers alike seem to be adapting to the new syatem.

[vakh]

and what about Berlin? have you any idea of what's goin' on there? as for Europe, there are still such a gay-friendly cities as Amsterdam (absolute WOW!!!) and Barcelona. I'm planning a trip to Barcelona next summer - actually, I am planning this trip for So many years, but up till noe surcumstances was against me... hope i will make it next year.

[axebahia]

>Hamburg was very much like Montreal in that it had an area

>where one could find and meet good-looking hustlers.

....

>On the bright side, we still have Montreal despite the recent

>changes concerning $10.00 versus $20.00 dances and whether

>doors or curtains are open or closed. Ignoring that present

>and temporary controversy, we should all be thankful that we

>have Montreal. There now exists no other place in the world

>like it.

 

That may well be true for clubs, and at least you used the word "hustler" not "escort" for Montreal, but Montreal remains a wasteland for on-line escorting. On the other hand, in a recent trip to Berlin, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of on-line escorts in German cities, including Hamburg. While I am at it, does anyone have any suggestions for on-line escorts (with pics) in Montreal? I may be heading there soon.

[Luv2play]

Montreal has its fair share of hustlers and escorts, at prices that far undercut those in Europe and the USA (when translated back into Euros or US$). And the quality compares favourably with both Europe and the US (I have spent almost as much time in both places in my adult life as I have in Canada and know whereof I speak). Which explains why Montreal is a premier gay destination, particularly to the gay cogniscenti.

 

Why the escort industry here in Montreal has not gone on-line in a big way has puzzled me for some time and I can only ascribe it to the language issue, that is, the net being dominated by English and Montreal being, well, Montreal, the second largest French speaking city in the world and with a bit of a "don't give a shit about the rest" attitude. But trust me, if you look, you shall find!!}(

[KY_TOP]

As for an Escort suggestion for Montreal. I just did an overnight with Ong. Smooth Asian boy that just recently relocated to the Montreal area. His fee is very reasonable, actually a bargain compared to fees here in US. I had a great time with him and he is reviewed on this site. I'll be submiting a very positive review soon.

[Paul Revere]

What I don't understand is; that if you are in Montreal, why do you need to find an escort on-line, when it is very easy yo find the best escorts on-lap.

[KY_TOP]

>What I don't understand is; that if you are in Montreal, why

>do you need to find an escort on-line, when it is very easy yo

>find the best escorts on-lap.

 

Many of the "Escorts on Lap" are a real roll of the dice and not always the "best". Nothing wrong having a sure thing for some fun also. Actually hiring an Escort in Montreal and gambling with the "Lap Boys" is actually the Best of Both worlds.:+

[vakh]

why Montreal business is not online? the thing is that the development of internet communications ITSELF is rather low here - for many reasons. I remember about three years ago it was a government program having an aid to increase the number of people using PC and internet - they were donating 500 dollars for those who was going to buy PC or paying two year internet connection fee. language - yes, there is a problem, but i beleive things will change - first of all because people kick out this bloody Partie Quebecous during he last celection, second - even the most dump had to understand during the last 10 years that if you want to have a good business, you have to have it AT LEAST bulingual and one of he languages must be English. It happenes that during the last 100 years English became an international scientific, technical and business language, and if you want to spread your business over your tiny ville-de-hell-nows-where, you have to use English. hmm, more politics that dick message...