La versión español está después de la versión inglés.
TORREMOLINOS IS TWO towns east, about half-way between us and the city of Málaga. It’s another resort town but, unlike Fuengirola it’s a mecca for gay tourists as well as a year-round home to many gay people. For that reason, it hosts Málaga’s annual gay pride festival, finishing up today. (And when I say “gay,” I really mean, “gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer” also known as GLBTQ). We took the train there Saturday to catch the parade and some of the sights.
We don’t know many gay people here in Spain so being in Torremolinos is always an unusual opportunity for us. Not having gay friends isn’t really an issue since we’re surrounded by people who immediately welcome us and love us for who we are… and yet we still miss that extra comradery. Whenever we’re in Torremolinos we’re excited to be surrounded by other people who don’t fit the traditional heterosexual norm but, not knowing anyone and being “over a certain age,” we feel isolated and alone. We could make the extra effort and get involved in some gay organization in Torremolinos. Besides, just because someone is gay, it doesn’t mean we’ll necessarily like them (we’ve been down that road)!
All that was simply to explain what a mixed bag our evening in Torremolinos was. When the parade started, I got a chill at the sight of our diverse “family” celebrating pride and the right to live freely and openly. Then, I got depressed because we were all by ourselves. Then I was elated to see people of all ages and types participating in the celebration. And then I wished I knew some of them. And then, a cute guy on a float (truck) did a double-take as he passed and followed me with his eyes until he was out of sight, making the sign of a heart the entire time. Yes, I’m shallow. It’s simply nice to know that, even at this age, I’m not completely invisible.
Click the images; they get bigger. More photos to come this week. If you like drag queens, costumes, and half naked men with lots of muscles, you shouldn’t be disappointed.
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TORREMOLINOS ESTÁ DOS pueblos al este, aproximadamente a medio camino entre nosotros y la ciudad de Málaga. Es otra ciudad turística, pero a diferencia de Fuengirola, es una meca para los turistas gays, así como un hogar para todo el año para muchas personas gays. Por ese motivo, alberga el festival anual del orgullo gay de Málaga, que termina hoy. (Y cuando digo “gay”, me refiero a “lesbiana, gay, bisexual, transgénero”, también conocida como LGBT). Tomamos el tren allí el sábado para mirar el desfile y algunas de las vistas.
No conocemos a muchos gays aquí en España, por lo que estar en Torremolinos siempre es una oportunidad inusual para nosotros. No tener amigos homosexuales no es realmente un problema, ya que estamos rodeados de personas que nos reciben de inmediato y nos aman por lo que somos … y, sin embargo, aún extrañamos esa colaboración extra. Cuando estamos en Torremolinos, nos emociona estar rodeados de otras personas que no se ajustan a la norma heterosexual tradicional pero, sin conocer a nadie y estar “por encima de cierta edad”, nos sentimos aislados y solos. Podríamos hacer un esfuerzo adicional e involucrarnos en alguna organización gay en Torremolinos. Además, solo porque alguien sea gay, no significa que necesariamente nos gustará (hemos estado en ese camino).
Todo eso fue simplemente para explicar nuestra experiencia ayer. Cuando comenzó el desfile, sentí un escalofrío al ver a nuestra diversa “familia” celebrando el orgullo y el derecho a vivir libre y abiertamente. Entonces, me deprimí porque estábamos todos solos. Luego me alegré de ver a personas de todas las edades y tipos participando en la celebración. Y luego deseé conocer algunos de ellos. Y aún luego, un chico lindo en un paso (camión) me miro dos veces al pasar y me siguió con sus ojos hasta que se perdió de vista, haciendo la señal de un corazón todo el tiempo. Sí, soy superficial. Es simplemente bueno saber que, incluso a esta edad, no soy completamente invisible.
Haz clic en las imágenes; se hacen más grandes. Más fotos por venir esta semana. Si te gustan las reinas, disfraces, y los hombres medio desnudos con muchos músculos, no debes decepcionarte.
Torremolinos Pride, 50 years being visible. 
San Geraldo needs this fan! / San Geraldo necesita este abinico. 
An explosion from a confetti cannon. / Una explosión de un cañón de confeti. 
And someone to clean up the confetti. / Y alguien para limpiar el confetti. 
That looks like FUN! I know what you mean feeling isolated sometimes and are the ‘only gays in the world’ feeling. But SNAP OUT OF IT I tell myself!! lol I think the gay culture is like the straight culture…..we won’t always like everyone. LGBTQ parades are a blast and full of love!
Jim:
We’re always telling ourselves to snap out of it! And, oh, if I had a nickel for every time a straight American acquaintance said, “Hey, I have a gay friend. You should meet”…. I’d have a whole lot of nickels!
Love a good Pride Parade!
My fave was in P’town and I still return to this file folder with my scads of 1/2 clad men & women wondering if I should share with others. My new editing systems allow me to change their looks somewhat, so hey I just might share.
We have next to no gay friends like yourselves. We learned over the years that the gay world is beautiful but alas that is all it is, at most times.
Maybe this will all change at some time but I don’t think so.
I am HAPPY just ask Jimbo!
With that being said if you guys were across the fence from us ~ Soups On ~ would be heard all the time!
Winks
Ron
Ron:
Jerry and I regularly talk about how we wish you lived nearby! We would be great friends!
♥️
Makes my heart happy to see the love! And acceptance.
Susan:
The range of ages, genders, attractions… so empowering!
The figure in pink in the second to last photo, looks like my mother
Oh John….you will surely burn in hell for this!! lol
So far I’m not disappointed. Keep the pictures coming in all their fleshpot glory!
Kirk:
I think you’ll enjoy the posts for today (soon to come) and tomorrow (especially tomorrow)!
John Gray:
Oh, dear god. I’m so sorry. You know they’ve had bleaches for those mustaches for ages… and electrolysis.
gee, all my friends are gay. true, they are friends in blogs, but still… I really don’t have any str8 friends.
I like the “heart guy” and the “flamingo guy” and the guy 2nd from the right of the “heart guy”. so many men, so little time!
perhaps you and SG should visit that town more often. and see if you can find SG a pride fan!
H E Y !!!!!!!!
Deedles:
OR… they’re so exceptional that they COULD BE gay!
anne marie:
I tried finding Jerry a Pride fan that size, but they were only selling small ones. Maybe online. He’d love it and would use it… “Proudly.” We talk about spending more time in Torremolinos and have considered even moving there. It’s 15 minutes from us by car, 20 minutes by train, closer to Málaga, 7 minutes by train to the airport. But we can’t beat the deal and location on the beach we’ve currently got! It’s a dilemma!
Happy Pride! That sure does look like fun. And of course you’re not invisible…the heart guy had good taste! 🙂
Jennifer:
Aw thanks. It’s a common statement that once you turn 40 (or 30) you become invisible. When we were getting ready to go, we pondered what to wear and should we shave… So I said. Oh, let’s not worry about it. We’re invisible anyway. I was being ironic. And we certainly weren’t the oldest ones there!
That guy in the first picture with the spray water gun and shoot on me anytime he wants!!! So glad you guys went. I tell everybody to go to Pride festivals and parades with someone or even by yourself, just for the sake of experiencing it and seeing our wonderful diverse community. I’ll br attending both Philly next week and new York’s this year. Don’t want to miss the 50th Stonewall Anniversary.
Mistress Maddie:
If you liked that guy and his gun, wait until you see Tuesday’s post. I’m bringing out the big guns. Can’t wait to see Philly and New York Pride through your eyes!
I haven’t been to a pride parade in years, of course someone noticed you.
David:
My first Pride parade was 1993 in San Diego. The only other city I’ve been to Pride was when we lived in San Francisco. It’s definitely empowering… among all the other things it is.
My twitter feed is on fire with pride right now.
Adam:
Blogging feeds, too!
Pride Parades are always so much fun! We may possibly be attending the Vancouver one this year in August.
Debra:
I’ve heard Vancouver’s is exceptional. Have fun!
Happy Pride! I’ll never forget my first pride parade in San Francisco. Dykes on bikes just blew me away. I had never seen such a sight.
Walt the Fourth:
My first wasn’t until San Diego in 1993. I don’t know why. But I even marched there (Jerry and I carried the banner for UCSD the first year) and with The GLBTQ Center, where I volunteered, the next year. What an empowering feeling!
I know what you mean about that sense of family, from our world family and not just those we call family. Plus, you got half-dressed hotties and a hottie with a heart on ……… his hands.
Bob,
Wait until you see tomorrow’s half-dressed hotties… shooting all over the place!
LOL gay people look the same everywhere; what a comfort
It must be nice to live where acceptance is good enough one can go/socialize everywhere !
Urspo:
It’s fascinating. Having lived my life with the necessity of a “gay ghetto,” I find it hard to not still want that.