This Narratively piece came up in my Facebook News Feed when I looked through it last night while winding down at the end of a long day/night/whatever:

Why Having Gay Sex in a Park is Still Thriving in 2016 – Narratively

It's by Katia Repina and Luca Aimi, both photographers who work in Barcelona. There's some truly beautiful photos of the Parc de Montjuïc.

They write:
The photos are captioned with more quotes from men. You'll see a wide range of ages. Here's just a few:

“Every time I go to Montjuic I go up the hill through the same stairs. As I go up, that tingling sensation starts, like when you were a kid and there were presents to unwrap. It gets me every time.” – Aquiles, 25

“Going out to a bar to pick up someone? I tried that, but I am five-foot-three, nobody notices me, and wasting fifty Euros on drinks to look like a dwarf, trampled by all the other guys – no thanks! Hitting up guys on the internet, or on a date… it’s scarier. Picking up guys [in Montjuic] gave me more self-confidence, so that I dare to go to meet guys in other places. Not my entire sexual life is here, absolutely not!” – Francesc, 43, cruising for twenty years

“I like to watch the stars and feel free while I am fucking.” – Axel, 34

“What I like about cruising is that… I have no obligation or commitment; I won’t see them again, and I like that. That turns me on.” – Aquiles

“I come here for sex, but I also come for something more. That something more could be friendship, a conversation, maybe even a partner. Sometimes, I just come to have a walk, watch the people passing by. It’s true that the more you grow old, the less important sex becomes. Many people who I have been with know that the first thing I ask [for] is not even a kiss, but a hug. Because a hug often tells you more about this person, just by the way a person hugs you.” – Vincente, 47. He also talks about changes in his sex life relative to HIV.

I'm not including all, but all are worth reading and seeing the photos with them. This last one from Francesc is one I truly relate to, at least remembering my past: These days I don't have much personal time, and I'm OK with waiting and taking care of my elderly sick dogs and helping my ex move out. There's a time for everything.

~ Bob S.

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