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Here’s the funny thing about the Canary Islands: They are named not after birds, but dogs. “Islas Canarias”—literally “Dogs Islands”—goes right back to the Pliny the Elder (he died in the same eruption of Mt. Vesuvius that took out Pompeii), who described “Canaria,” now the island of Gran Canaria, as being overrun with giant dogs. MUCH later, a small, yellow, fainting-prone bird took its name from the islands, the canary.
But let’s get to the good stuff: The Canary Islands have long been discovered by the world as a place to party your vacation away, and the gays boys are no different. Maspalomas Gay Pride swings into gear May 4-12 and is Spain’s second largest LGBTQ pride event, outdone only by the bash in Madrid. Located on Gran Canaria’s southernmost tip, think of quirky Maspalomas as Spain’s answer to Palm Springs.
Every day is a party, but a wise bet is to stick close to the Yumbo Center, a party-colored leisure park-cum-megamall of sorts that is ground zero for much of the island’s (official) rainbow-hued activity. Its plaza, whose spaciousness is something of a rarity in tightly-packed Maspalomas, usually always has some sort of gay-themed “something” going on, and during Gay Pride, when the stages go up, it goes without saying quite a lot will be going on.
With the cosmic-looking theme of “Travel…Back to the Future,” on Saturday the 11this the parade, when thousands of barely-clothed boys (and girls) take to the streets, surging in a techno-infused flesh-fest from Playa del Ingles to the Yumbo Center, where the big dance blow-out shakes the island to the core. This is one of those events were it pays to get cozy with the natives; pool parties are big in Maspalmomas, and hundreds take place, usually privately, all over the city. And then there is the cruising free-for-all on the beaches…
Gay bars and clubs? Like I said, stick to the Yumbo Center. Granted, they are going to packed to the rafters on parade day, but name a gay place that isn’t on Pride. A whopping 37 bars, clubs, and other assorted watering holes make the Yumbo a basic one-stop-gay-shop for whatever tickles your fancy.
As a final note, it may also help to brush up on your—huh?—German. Yes, you are in Spain, and yes, most people will be speaking Spanish. But Germans are notorious party people, and have long since set up residence in the Canaries to keep the good times going all year, and several of the Yumbo bars are German-run.
For more information, go to http://www.gaymaspalomas.com/gay-pride-maspalomas-2013/or contact Steele Luxury Travel to assist you with all of your travel needs: [email protected]
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