a gay mecca in london ...

i've often heard about Columbia Road Flower Market, but until a couple of weeks ago, had never been there ... so after a tube and a bus, i finally made it ...

there was a great buzz about the place, and it's much more than just a flower market - lots of hippy-like businesses have sprung up around it, offering furniture, crafts, breads, and of course lots of coffee and cakes !

the flower market itself isn't enormous, but there's still plenty to look at, and they are seriously impressive ! and not surprisingly, it seems to attract quite a lot of gay men - especially couples ...

strange couples ...

i've always thought the "don't piss on your own porch" advice makes sense ... but my gym attracts some people who clearly don't live by this rule ...

the first is hetro couple (i'm assuming from their contact in the gym that they are a couple - they certainly don't look like family) ... where the bloke regularly enjoys the company of other men in the steam room ! surely you'd keep your missus away from the gym where lots of the bloke know that you like blokes ? it didn't appear that they are the sort of couple where she allows him to explore outside ...

the other is a gay couple where the better looking bloke spends a lot of time in the steam room looking for fun ... but the less attractive bloke doesn't seem to be interested in other men. this doesn't sound so bad, but the worst part is that i often see the less attractive partner waiting in the reception area for his pretty boyfriend - who is presumably delayed because he's having fun with another bloke ! the patient boyfriend doesn't seem very happy when he's waiting - so it doesn't look like he's enjoying the experience of his boyfriend enjoying another bloke !

i know it takes all sorts, and i shouldn't judge, but these two couples seemed a bit extreme to me ...