A gay ol' time

This past weekend we went to Sydney and experienced our very first Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras celebration. Upon arriving, we somewhat knew that the weekend would be crazy and that we were sure to witness things that were new and ... semi-awkward. I've been contemplating exactly how I was going to describe this experience to everyone back home and I've come to the conclusion that there are no words.

For once, I'm speechless.

I mean, how can you really put it into words? It might go something like this ... 

We woke up super early on Saturday morning to ensure that we could get 'the perfect spot' for the parade. So, we made our way to Oxford Street at 10:30 a.m. - the parade started at 7:45 p.m. We found a bar with an upper-level that had windows overlooking the halfway point. So, we settled down and ordered our first beer for the day. Nine hours and many beers later, the parade began. There were people EVERYWHERE. Our window seats proved to be quite useful, because I couldn't imagine being in the madness on the street. The streets were filled with intoxicated heterosexuals and homosexuals, all of whom were content on showing their 'free spirits'. Love was definitely in the air.

The parade was filled with everything from Dykes on Bikes to Demanding Dominatrixes. A lot of the floats would stop in front of us and put on a show ... and 90 percent of these shows would have been Rated R by the American Motion Picture Association. Instead of going into all the details, let's just say I have officially seen it all. It was a great weekend, though. Whether or not you support that lifestyle, the atmosphere was truly amazing. It got a little out of control, but for the most part, everyone was interested in defying the norms and just letting their free spirits out - which is sort of what Australia is about!

Here are some pictures of the evening. I have PLENTY of stories, but I'm sure not everyone is interested in them. So, I'll save them for a rainy day :)

Today, we had to check out of our hostel by 10 a.m. - which was brutal. But, we got ready and met up with a family friend of Beth's. We went on a ferry across the harbor and had a fabulous lunch at a restaurant at Manly Beach. It was gorgeous. And, we got our first glimpse of some of Sydney's main attractions. See below.

We're heading back to Sydney this weekend for the Sound Relief concert with Coldplay and Taylor Swift, among others. I'm stoked! Stay tuned :)

XOXO, Jennifer Lynn