John,

thanks for your reply - and yes I agree with you, the beach is not a place to pull... the bars are a different matter

People who are more accepting, and respect the differences in people often find it hard to realize the problems that a wayward glance at a bar, or beach for that matter can cause, especially in a land like Greece where there is a strong religious stand against homosexuality- the gay beaches and bars just provide a sense security.

I am from Vancouver,and yes we have a beautiful country, but I have been overwhelmed by the friendliness and history of Greece! It is truly a dream come true to experience the history of civilization firsthand. I work as an interior designer and have spent hours marvelling at the accomplishments of the early Greek civilizations. I'm sure it will influence my work for years to come.

Perhaps I can add some clarification for John and Wim

I am a single gay man travelling with my friends, a lesbian couple in Greece. We are having a wonderful time, and have made a point of taking in as much of the culture as possible. However, we would like to have an evening or two at a gay bar to meet gay locals, and to relax in an atmosphere where we can be ourselves.

And what does that mean? That means being able to give an admiring glance at an attractive man (or woman, for my friends) without being called a fag and having my face punched in. It means meeting with other people who have commonalities in their backgrounds that make conversation easier, the same way people with an English or Greek backgrounds like to go to English Pubs or Greek Tavernas in other countries to meet with people with similar backgrounds. And yes, perhaps as a single man I might have a brief summer romance. Or I might meet someone from Canada that could grow into something else...

Wim, I find it interesting that you wax poetic about Mary-Yo and Mimmie wanting to have Greek men stare at their bosoms, but if a gay man is looking for the same attention, they just want to "snog"