Another enjoyable trip to Paris

Back in January when I was in Bangkok, while I was visiting the gay spa called Babylon, I met a nice reliable guy called C who lives in Hong Kong. He recently came on a trip to Europe, so we decided to meet in Paris and spend a long weekend together there. Even though I went to Paris to meet W back in February, and then again in March with T, I think Paris is a beautiful city so I'm always happy to visit for short breaks :-).

I take the train, arriving just in time for me to go out to the airport and meet C off the plane. It's great to see him again, and even though we've previously only spent a handful of hours in each other's company, we don't have any trouble establishing a rapport again. We take a taxi into central Paris and soon we're checking into the hotel together.

"I think I'm in room XX," I say to the cute hotel receptionist, "is it ready for us?"

"You always have that room don't you!" he replies, reaching across to get the key for me. He glances sideways and looks C up and down, before handing me the key with a big smile on his face.

"For the receptionist to say that you must have had this room several times before," remarks C as we make our way to the room.

"I guess I've just gotten into the habit of taking guys that I like to Paris and staying with them in this hotel room," I reply, grinning at him and rubbing him affectionately on his shoulder.

"And how many guys would that be?" laughs C, clearly happy that I've confirmed that I like him.

"Well, I don't think I should tell you all my secrets straight away!"

While we're unpacking our bags we decide that it would be interesting to visit Musée d'Orsay rather than the Louvre, which suits me fine because it's been many years since my last visit. It doesn't take long to get there by taxi and once there, we spend a few happy hours wandering around and amusing ourselves by making up stories about the people in the paintings.

"That woman there for example," I remark quietly to C, "is clearly the mistress of the painter, don't you think?"

"Could be!" replies C, walking up to look at the title of the painting, "But it's called 'Soeur de la femme de l'artiste', so I'm not sure about that theory GB!"

"No it all makes perfect sense," I reply triumphantly, "that's why she looks so up-tight :-). She's fed up being made to sit still so that he can paint her, in spite of the fact that she's been having morning sickness because she's carrying his child, and she can't even confide her troubles to her sister because her sister's married to this monster!"

Later in the afternoon, we're walking back to the hotel and as we’re crossing one of the main roads when I remember something about the seedier side of Paris that a friend told me a few months ago.

"Apparently there's a place just up the road here which is the kind of place that we met in," I remark casually, "I've never been, but a friend recommended it to me in case I needed it!"

"Really GB, what's it called? Can we go :-)?" asks C enthusiastically, "It'd be interesting to check out all the Parisian guys, hehe :-)".

"Um, well, I think it's called Sun City," I answer, feeling a little surprised by C's suggestion. I always think of those places as places that one goes cruising, so not the kind of thing that one does when one's already managed to find the company of a nice guy! "I guess we could go at some point if we've got nothing else to do."

I've booked a good restaurant for dinner but we've got a couple of spare hours beforehand, so when C again suggests that we should visit the gay spa I find it hard to come up with a better plan. In any case, I'm always curious to see what these places are like on the inside, so before too long we're on our way towards Sun City.

Once inside, the décor turns out to be Indian in style, a kind of a gay version of the Kama Sutra! In one sense it's quite well done, but in another sense it seems a bit tacky because it feels so un-Parisian.

We wander around together for a while to get a feel for the layout, but eventually we decide it would be nice to sit in the Jacuzzi together. It's very full, with perhaps ten guys already in the water, but C's keen so we leave our towels on the rail outside and walk naked down the steps and into the water. The water's nice and warm, and we each manage to find a bit of space to sit not too far from each other before looking around to see what's going on.

On one side there are a couple of guys who clearly know each other, because they're chatting to each other, and close to them another couple of guys aren't talking but none the less seem to be getting to know each other in other ways. However, apart from myself and C, the rest of the guys all seem to be on their own. I lie back for a couple of minutes to relax, but the next time I look up, I notice that someone has taken a distinct interest in C. One of the two guys that had been getting to know each other seems to have decided that C's a tastier proposition, and C's naturally enjoying the attention.

While C's is engaged with this guy, I find myself wondering what the etiquette is for this situation. Should I now try extra-hard to find a new friend for myself? Given that no one seems to be available, is it acceptable to watch what C gets up to?? And afterwards, should I ask C whether he enjoyed himself, or should I pretend that it didn't happen??? While pondering these questions, a few guys leave the Jacuzzi, which allows a few others to tie up their towels outside and take their place. I realise that the full-frontal sight of hot guys walking naked into the water makes sitting in the Jacuzzi quite a horny experience :-).

Perhaps C senses my mild discomfort with what's going on with his new friend because something happens and soon the other guy moves off in search of new conquests. It feels right to take the newly vacant position next to C, and no sooner than I've moved to occupy it I feel C's hand checking me out under the water :-). Although it's an obvious thought, I start wondering how clean the water in the Jacuzzi is and suddenly it seems like time to leave!

The contrast between the ambiance of the Jacuzzi and the ambiance of the smart restaurant that I'd booked is quite striking. We have a good meal together, and afterwards back in the hotel, we spend a lovely night in bed with each other.

We get on with each other very well, and the next couple of days pass far too quickly. At the end of the weekend we both head to the Gare du Nord, me to take the Eurostar, and C to catch the RER train to the airport.

"It's been a great weekend mate," I say to him, hugging him tightly.

"Yes GB, it certainly has. I've enjoyed it so much!"

When we separate from the hug to look at each other, I see that he's got slightly watery eyes. I too feel unhappy that we now have to go our separate ways. But that's exactly what's got to happen so reluctantly we part company. For almost a minute we're waving at each other as we're walking in different directions, but eventually we lose sight of each other.

A little while later, while on the Eurostar, I get a txt msg from C:

Wish you a good trip back home. Take very good care. Its very hard to say good bye

Who knows if or when we'll meet again. Each of our lives are based in big cities in very different parts of the world. However, even if we never meet again, one thing's for sure. We'll always have wonderful memories of the few happy says that we spent with each other in Paris.