Troy Espera spent much of 2007 & 2008 in Madrid teaching English as a second language. In his free time he explored much of Europe and Spain, from beaches to walled cities to city nightlife. The experience made Troy, GayCities assistant editor, based in San Francisco, the perfect journalist to put together our guide to Madrid.
Troy, who is Fillipino, fell in love with what he calls the Spanish ‘Olé factor,’ an infectious thirst for life. “Madrileños love to play soccer but still smoke a pack of cigarettes a day,” Troy says. “They eat calamari, olives and ham off the bone like it’s going out of style; they love flamenco but would never dress like gypsies; they have 3 hour-long lunches that include 1 hour-long naps.”
Troy found that the Olé factor was most pronounced when it came to gay life, as the community has flowered in its new-found freedom and the legalization of gay marriage. “Spaniards celebrate life. period. For gay Spaniards the celebration of life, of pride of freedom, of each other, of love and sex, is even greater. They appreciate it even more because it has traditionally been so precarious. It was amazing to be part of that experience.”
To get a taste of the gay Spanish experience, check out Madrid’s gay pride celebration.
In upcoming weeks look for Troy’s guides to Barcelona, Lisbon, Mexico City, and much, much more.
More of Troy’s fabulous gay Madrid
Troy’s gaycities profile
