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The Long, Slow Journey to Nakedness
by CalgaryMark
Part 2
Croatia 2010
In 2010 I went to Valamar's Solaris which is a mixture of campground and apartments by the Adriatic Sea, north of Porec in Istria, Croatia. The coast is rocky, the beaches stony, but the area around the apartments and behind the beach is grassy and wooded. There is a big clothing-required (C/R) dining building for breakfast and dinner and a C/R mini-market beside the C/R check-in area. The rest of the site is wholly C/O; a vast well-equipped campground with everything from small tents to large (by European standards) motorhomes. There is a lot more information here: http://www.valamar.com/en/apartments-po ... rt-solaris .
What an enjoyable experience it was to be clothes-free almost everywhere, almost all of the time in the heat of the sun and enjoy the bliss of swimming unencumbered. I especially enjoyed the clothes-free brisk walk every morning just after sunrise from one end of the site to the other and back - about 4 km. There was also a café on the site where the management didn't require clothing - so one sat on one's towel. They even provided cushions for the wooden benches! The on-site massage hut was a great place - sign up on the sheet outside the door for what you wanted and when you wanted your treatment, then show up with the appropriate cash in hand. The hot weather meant that draping the recipient was unnecessary and even undesirable; the massage was exquisite, done by a professional therapist.
The overall atmosphere of ‘ordinariness' of nudity in such a place meant that there were no concerns about whether anyone would worry about a lack of clothing. Would I go back? Yes, but there are other even larger campgrounds, and resorts with apartments, cottages and more amenities nearby and I would explore them first.
From Croatia, I re-crossed the Adriatic by fast catamaran ferry back to Venice, then on to Switzerland and Bavaria (Munich) by high-speed train so I could go to ...
Therme Erding https://www.therme-erding.de/en/sauna-w ... una-world/ This was a beautiful day of sensual bliss in the sun after the previous long day of travel. I was able to spend most of a day there; I chose to only go to the Sauna Paradies (there's a lot more for families and the more adventurous; check the website). Another new experience: you enter the change room where there are private cubicles with two doors. Enter on one side fully clothed, exit on the other fully unclothed into mixed company, put your belongings in a locker and proceed to the mandatory soap and hot water showers.
The combination of sun, water, varied and imaginative facilities and not too many people (on a weekday, daytime) made for a wonderfully relaxing day. Recommended! Bare in mind that you are not permitted clothing in the water or saunas. I had become accustomed to the German attitude to nudity at Solaris, so the relaxed and casual atmosphere was not surprising. I am looking forward to getting back there one day! One oddity: we were supposed to wear towels or robes between facilities, but the rule was generally ignored.
Spain, 2013
Camping Naturista El Portus http://www.elportus.com/en/ is a campsite near Cartagena, a long drive from my base near Fuengirola, but there was a reason to go there in 2013. Attempting the long journey along the coast road at the weekend was a mistake. It was with much relief that I eventually arrived, found my rental cabin, got rid of my clothes and made my way (more confidently now, in clothes-free comfort) to the shingle beach and a swim before meeting friends in the café for conversation, a beer and the evening meal. El Portus too is a place where nudity is expected and accepted everywhere; The website says "Therefore, whenever the weather permits, the form of habitual residence of the customers is the nudity". Wandering naked in the warm breeze along the beach at midnight, watching the full moon and its reflections on the sea made me feel even more confident that this is the way we are meant to live (weather permitting)!
Checking in at El Portus was the first time I had been asked to show my FCN/INF membership card, a measure intended to keep the gawkers out. El Portus is open year-round, so probably clothes are worn when the temperature suggests it is a good idea. Again, it is a good place to which to return (you can rent a ‘bungalow' or ‘mobile home' as well as pitch your tent).
Playa de Chaparral, Mijas Costa, was a new, officially designated (by the local government) playa nudista, even with signs at the convenient bus stop by the N7 highway. Being very new in 2013, it had not settled into a routine when I was there. Another new experience! June was unusually cold, and a strong wind blew off the sea most of the time, so the beaches were mostly empty. Swimming in the sea was not an option; the only people in the water were (fool)hardy children, or adults in wetsuits, carrying snorkels and harpoons. The sun was good! Because the beach was newly designated, the palapas and hamacas were installed while I was there; there is a little chiringuito, and the freshly placed washrooms were spotless. I later discovered that these two pre-fabricated buildings had been dropped in place by a crane just before I arrived. The commercial area of the beach was right beside the highway; screen fences were being erected by the time I left. Google Earth now shows constructed walkways where previously there were only sandbanks sandy trails.
‘Exposed' gained a new meaning! I was the only palapa customer most of the time (if you put your towel on the sand close to the cliff, the wind is less, and there was no charge), and the staff:customer ratio at the chiringuito was about 2:1. The presence of these facilities and proximity to my home base compared with Cabopinho made this a better choice. The parking area was across the highway in a disused shopping centre parking lot, but there is a footbridge over the highway, and the bus stops beside the chiringuito made it a very accessible and potentially popular beach.
2014
Paya Bay, Roatan, Honduras
A mid-March week in 2014, an escape from a long and frigid Canadian winter, during the equinox and progression from full to waning gibbous moon. I travelled alone (again, the dreaded solo elderly male) and was made very welcome; I was not alone, in that there was another similar traveller on my week.
This week was a ‘mystical naturist' period at Paya Bay (PB); however, there was not much mysticality; two tours off the property to learn about the native culture were cancelled due to not enough people wanting to go. The Garifuna culture night at the Black Iguana bar was too dark and too noisy for me - others loved it. I went for the remoteness from everywhere and an opportunity to do without the rest of the world (I chose no TV, there was no radio, no news, no need to phone, occasionally no electricity and thus no cell phone service, no clothes most of the time by my choice) for a week, to get sunshine and swim and read. I certainly got all that!
The welcome and friendliness of all the staff, from the earliest email exchanges with Michelle, to the staff in the restaurant and including the resident family dogs and (protected) black iguanas, was outstanding. The overall acceptance of naturism at PB was a welcome contrast to my limited experience of most of North America.
The food (nearly always the meal of the day for me) was more than adequate; I hardly needed to go to the a la carte menu. There were times when it was evident we were in the Caribbean time zone, and some meals took a long time to arrive – but always worth the wait. We North Americans are too clock-driven anyway.
My room - Cliffside #1 - I rate the best in the place for a single or a couple (this is not a resort place geared to or suitable for children). The view over the reef, the privacy of the (small) balcony and especially the continuous sound of the waves breaking on the shore underneath the balcony was what I was seeking; so restful, even during the rain and wind on one day and night.
Since my name is Mark, and I was in room #1, Michelle listed me on the board as #1Mark. She sure knows how to boost a guy's ego!
Bliss Beach and the Black Iguana bar were the centres of inactivity. Recent storm damage in early 2014 to Buccaneer Landing, Lagoon Aqua and Secret Cove left structures damaged, and beaches and pathways washed away; this made the west side of the resort challenging. When they are fixed, this area will again be enjoyable - even so, the scramble over the rocks was fascinating and challenging but not for the infirm or fragile. About a third of the area was out of regular service.
The secluded corners along the trails with a couple of chairs and a palapa are an excellent idea and offer places even more away from all the rest of the away from it all.
A walk to the beach at sunrise, a swim in the early morning light, a shower by the beach and back to the room for clothes (required in the restaurant) for breakfast: a perfect start to the day.
A sunset cruise to nearby La Sirena bar and grill for a drink and dinner with new friends, returning under the stars and no moon that night, was a magical and peaceful way to end the week.
Walking the easily accessible areas was relaxing - but I stayed on the beach most of the time.
Yoga led by Brooke in the wall-free, breezy Ananda pavilion high in the jungle was a fabulous experience, especially free of clothing and followed by fresh coconut water still in the nut.
A Bliss Beach outdoor massage by Blanca is a world-class experience.
The day-long boat trip to Pigeon Cay (24km/15 miles each way as the Google flies) was an excellent introduction to the islands, but a bit bumpy on my day there. Not a problem! It was our (the visitors) first day at PB, and we were a little unsure of where everyone else stood, clothing-wise, but it was cool on the boat, windy and very sunny, so everyone stayed clothed. Another boat and a large family already occupied pigeon Cay with definitely non-naturism-accepting ideas, so we suffered in our swimsuits. There were strong currents there that day so that snorkeling could have been hazardous. It was a relaxing first day after a full day of travel.
Snorkeling from Tom's boat was said to be good, but since I had vision issues and a sore back, I did not go; next time I will have underwater eye-wear and now (2018) I have had cataract surgery, my vision is much improved. The scuba divers (off-site) said they had a pretty good experience - not that we could see them!
Paya Bay has a zoning system for naturism (zone 1: clothed; zone 2: topless OK; zone 3: why are you wearing clothes?) is a great idea, but is somewhat conservative now that most weeks are naturist weeks (32 in 2014, 40 in 2018; see http://www.payabay.com ) During naturist weeks, zones 2 and 3 are combined into one large zone 3. I would not be surprised to see changes for more widespread naturist (officially: clothing optional) use of more of the property in the future.
The companionship of the fellow guests was excellent - we were almost a family by the end of the week. (Thanks, guys!)
Would I go back? How soon can we leave?
2016
Southern California
A June/July visit to friends living just south of Los Angeles in SoCal allowed a bit more exploration of nude places. Unfortunately, the friends are not likely or willing to participate in naturism, so these, as usual, were solo expeditions.
Overall and by comparison with the other places I have been to the experience reflected the generally anti-nudist attitude of most of the USA; these were places generally accepted and approved by the nudist community on websites and discussion boards.
The weather was typical of what SoCal has been experiencing in recent years. Morning fog or cloud near the coast, with relatively high humidity, would change about 10.00 a.m. to blazing sun, clear blue skies and temperatures rising from below 20 degrees Celsius at night to 28 degrees Celsius near the coast to as high as 40C (104F) in the inland desert.
Black's Beach
Since the regrettable closure (to nude use) of San Onofre by the state park authorities, Black's seemed to be the only generally acceptable clothing optional beach in SoCal. It lies at the foot of a crumbling cliff below the Torrey Pines Glider Port and is part of the Torrey Pines State Beach - the nudity-acceptable area lies to the north of the foot of the steep, slippery, unsafe access path down the cliff, about 100m / 330ft from the car park to the sea. Lifeguards patrolled the beach in pick-up trucks, but there seem to be no other facilities or services. I do not understand why the authorities do not maintain the path when paths in other beachfront state parks seem to be well made and kept. Proper maintenance could lead to more popular use, but possibly also more antipathy from the wowsers and bureaucrats offended by public nudity.
The beach itself is a broad flat expanse of golden-brown sand, firm at the water's edge, soft elsewhere. Nice! I was only able to spend an hour here at the end of a weekday afternoon, so there were not many people around, but all forms of (un)dress were observed, and everyone seemed happy with what they were doing - sunning, reading, talking and even some swimming.
Lying on my back looking at the blue sky and watching the multi-coloured hang gliders (usually half a dozen at any one time) and radio-controlled model gliders flying over the beach with a backdrop of the intense blue sky was a delightful new experience. The sun and the breeze on my whole body made the expedition worthwhile. If there had been others with me for safety, swimming in the Pacific would have also been a good experience!
Would I go back? In company, yes, for a more extended period - with food, water and a shelter of some sort. I am in my seventies and developing arthritis, so the climb is quite a chore.
De Anza Springs Resort lies on the southern edge of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, near Jacumba, at the end of a dirt road. There had been a drought for some time, and there was no noticeable spring, but Google Earth shows greenery in imagery dated June 2017.
A prior reservation was necessary, and a phone call from the entry gate facilitated entry. I stayed in one of the ten motel units; the rest seemed to be empty (mid-week). There was the usual identity check, but no special requirements. Members of AANR or like organisations (in my case, FCN) receive a discount.
Many of the recreational vehicles were permanently parked and used only at weekends. Remarkably few people were around, despite the number of RVs and mobile homes. The bar and restaurant were open (it all depends on demand!), so a simple dinner and breakfast were possible. There are two swimming pools (one indoors, which is heated) and a hot tub. A morning swim was a great way to end an early morning walk with just a hat and sandals up to the water tanks and around the premises was wonderful. DASR is officially clothing optional, but the majority of the few people I saw were nude. It is an excellent place to be comfortably naked.
Would I go back? If I was in the area already, yes, but I would not make it a destination for more than a couple of days. The desert would be worth exploring and photographing, there is history in the area, but you need to be self-contained or bring your own company. There are facilities for entertainment and exercise if there are people to join or with you. There is said to be wi-fi and cell phone service, but I found neither. There is a hard-wired phone in the office. DASR is a destination, to get away from it all.
Olive Dell Ranch is near Colton, CA, east of Orange County about an hour's (mostly freeway) drive from my hosts' home. Again, this was a weekday visit to an almost desert climate - very drought stricken in July. A prior arrangement was necessary to get through the entrance gate, the gatekeeper checked credentials and my Federation of Canadian Naturists membership, and he opened the gate. I was advised to drive down to the pool area and park there ...
The facilities are spartan but adequate - an excellent solar heated pool, a hot tub and various facilities as listed on the website. By contrast with DASR, the roads are narrow and winding, much closer to the RVs that people leave there and either commute from daily or to weekly. There are indeed olive trees as well as others, so it is a more comfortable and attractive place to be than DASR. The few people there were friendly to me, a strange foreigner. The restaurant would not be open that day until 5.00 p.m., so I was glad to have brought my lunch for my one short day visit. I could not stay late.
Nudity is required on hard-surfaced areas (i.e., around and in the pool, hot tub, sauna, washrooms and restaurant). I believe that this creates a level playing field for all visitors and is a good idea, but I was not on my first visit to a naturist place.
The strangest part of this experience was undressing and later dressing by the car, opposite a couple of travel trailers where one envisages the occupants watching; as if it mattered! At that moment I felt exposed, more so than when utterly free of clothing. Has anyone else had the same feeling? Somehow, I think a space set aside, perhaps with lockers, would be helpful especially for newbies. (I was at a gym and pool changing room once where some of the lockers had no hooks for clothes; they were broken or otherwise removed. The other person there told me they were for people with no hang-ups).
Would I go back? If I lived in the area and needed/wanted to get away for some naked time, it is (apparently) the only place for a male on his own to go. (Glen Eden is said to be very restrictive as to who is allowed even to visit). The quiet atmosphere was relaxing, and there was sufficient shade as well as areas for sunbathing. Yes, of these three, ODR would be my place to go to for a day visit. There are rental sleeping cabins, so a more extended period would be possible provided the restaurant were open. Next time, perhaps a more extended stay would be possible.
2018
Cypress Cove, Florida, was a different experience! Staying here would be the first time I had spent more than one night at a bona fide naturist resort. The day visits the previous week made it clear that this would be far better than driving back and forth to a distant timeshare property. Checking in was simple; I had previously reserved and let them know of my FCN membership and naturist experience, so having been ‘screened' I was welcomed by the security person at the entrance gate and then at the office. After my identity was confirmed, I was given a wristband with a chip as my room key. The wristband resolved the problem of ‘no pockets'! The renovated villa hotel room was comfortable with two queen-size beds but a small bathroom and an overly simple kitchenette which could have been better; even good coffee from paper cups is not very attractive. There are other larger units which seem to be better equipped.
The grounds, when seen in daylight the next morning, are spectacular. A large area set aside for campers with trailers and motorhomes, a smaller area for travellers with tents, recreational facilities like golf, petanque, tennis and pickleball, villas with hotel style rooms, two swimming pools, two hot tubs, a spa, boutique, hair and nails salons, clubhouse, games and gym rooms. Near the swimming pools are outdoor mandatory-use hot showers before also nude compulsory swimming and washrooms. Cypress Cove seems to be an almost five-star resort.
Down by the lake where you can go kayaking, canoeing or pedal-boating, two new docks were under construction (they are now finished). Loungers and hammocks make life easy. One is advised not to swim beyond the designated areas; you share that part of the lake with alligators.
Further into the resort, there is a residential area of well used and cared for modular homes. Some are occupied permanently, others seasonally by Northern Snowbirds. All of them are in a beautifully wooded and well-maintained setting.
Cheeks, a relaxed bar and grill, is near the pools. Over by the lake, the Lakeside Restaurant and Scuttlebutts lounge bar opens according to demand and has special events on weekends.
Technically this is a clothing-optional resort, except in the pools. One sees every sort of dress - the AANR held a board meeting while I was there, there were even men in suits! The majority of patrons were comfortable in nothing at all, except for the mandatory towel to sit on.
The sense of uninhibited freedom and comfort in one's natural state is spectacular. The weather was cooperatively warm, so air conditioning and clothing were superfluous (except when the weather suggests otherwise or leaving the premises) for those two weeks. Even at the Motown themed dinner dance on Saturday night, one saw everything from formal dress to complete undress, and complete acceptance by everyone of everyone. Surely this is how we are meant to live our lives?
The American Nudist Research Library is also on the CC grounds. When were you last in a library, completely naked? Volunteers are gathering what is intended to be a comprehensive collection of works on nudism and naturism. In keeping with the times, work is progressing slowly on making digital images of the old and current magazines and books, so that the body of work can be shared via the internet with whoever is interested. This is exciting and valuable work being done slowly and painstakingly by dedicated volunteers and will benefit researchers now and in the future.
So, What’s Up Next?
I sent the preceding narrative to our editor and publisher. SunnyDay responded with “The only thing that could improve it is a concluding paragraph. As it is, it just stops abruptly”. I am worried about that too! I am not ready to write a ‘concluding paragraph’; and I doubt I can safely leave it to my obituary writer after an unplanned ‘abrupt stop’. At my age and after the health problems I experienced, an abrupt stop may be in my (near?) future.
What I really want is to go somewhere warm in the dead of a Canadian winter. Summer in Western Canada is short and usually good, and I prefer to stay away from crowds with children (Sorry, SD). I take medication that says on the label: ‘Keep away from children’, so I try to do so.
After I came out of the hospital after the heart attack just over two years ago, the first thing I did was watch The Bucket List, the movie with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. Now I am working on mine. Writing this on Canadian Thanksgiving Day reminded me, as I read over all that precedes this, just how thankful I am to have been able to do all this, even if it is billed as a ‘long, slow progress to nakedness’. We have so many options available to us, even if we rail against the strictures of not being allowed by the community to go naked in our own suburban back yards or on our local beaches.
As Eric Idle wrote and sang in the movie "Life of Brian," which ended with Idle impaled on a crucifix singing "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," here are some of my ‘bucket list’ wishes:
In the meantime, there is plenty of naturist reading to do, to fill in the indoor times when outdoor naturism is not attractive and some escapism is needed. A search for ‘Naturist’ books on Kindle turns up a number of good candidates and some not-so-savoury ones. A ‘books report’ may turn this piece into a not-concluding-section.
END - Part 2
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