✈✈ After I opened my own studio in Kaohsiung (Shenglin Personal Studio) and things stabilized, I decided to travel to Europe alone to explore. I naturally chose France, because I once met a man from southern France who was working in Taiwan. The way we got along and that encounter has always left an unforgettable ripple in my heart. The stereotypical idea of French romanticism, combined with blue eyes and a hint of Middle Eastern ancestry, unconsciously gave off an irresistible charm.
✈✈ Taking a 13-hour long-haul flight for the first time was really tiring. Fortunately it was EVA Air’s direct flight, which made it a bit easier. I had taken long flights before — after finishing my military service I went to Sydney on a working holiday — another unforgettable journey in my life. But this time the focus was that I was in France! Whenever I go to a different country, I make a point of visiting the local gay sauna — it’s the place to release inner pressure and desires, and to meet the local men and their various styles. So this time I went to the long-established sauna SUN CITY(太陽城). It sits in the gay district and has a rainbow flag on the facade, very easy to spot.
⇝⇝ Before going in, of course I had to fill my stomach, so I sat down at a Chinese restaurant near the sauna. After all, arriving alone in an unfamiliar place for the first time and ordering Chinese food is a safe choice. I picked a seat by the window and watched people come and go on the sidewalk. This area felt like Taipei’s Ximending — you can easily tell whether someone is likely to be heading the same way. While I was watching, a Frenchman in his forties nodded at me; I returned the gesture politely. He then smiled, came in, ordered two drinks, and asked if he could sit opposite me. My English isn’t very fluent, so I was extra nervous, but he spoke a few simple, gentle words. We had a pleasant conversation, but because I had other plans I didn’t dare go somewhere alone with a stranger, so we exchanged contact information, hugged, and said we might meet again.
✹✹ Pushing open the door brimming with expectation, I felt as if I had stepped into the interior of a Central European medieval castle, like a movie scene. The gear you pick up at the front desk was much the same as in other countries. With a mix of nervousness and excitement I went to the locker room. As I walked in I could clearly feel all kinds of looks. After taking off my clothes and grabbing my small towel I went to the showers to wash away the day’s fatigue. In the dim, open-shower area I felt a rough hand stroking me from behind; instinctively I slid down to his crotch. That size was a Frenchman’s natural endowment. Pressed close together, his gentle lips soothed my nerves. After drying off, he took me to a small bar on B1. There were various hot tubs and pools and many loungers to rest on. He bought me a small drink and gave me a brief introduction, then he had to leave for something.
♛♛ I walked up a spiral staircase to the second floor, where there are darkrooms, mazes, glory holes — scenes straight out of porn films that instantly get your pulse racing. Whether you want to watch people perform or lie on different pieces of equipment and wait for someone to come, it’s exhilarating. For us with yellow skin — younger people among us, in particular — it can be harder to get attention, but France is one of the world’s cultural melting pots, so you can enjoy a variety of looks and the different scents of hormones that make the trip worth the price.
☺☺ Travel not only recharges you and relieves pressure, it lets you experience different cultures and gives you plenty of stories to share. Friends who come to Kaohsiung are welcome to visit my studio and share your travel memories with me. Thank you all for reading my story — if you liked it please tap the heart. Thanks again ❤