I am planning a trip to the Greek isles in July....last time I was there I remember seeing couples "in the act" on the beach while I was walking home to my apartment/hotel etc (at night)..is this acceptable? i.e. can I or will I likely get arrested for doing this or is this considered acceptable?

Wholey Moley....Vincenzo, what a question! Where were you before? I may have to make it my next destination (just kidding, of course)..... In all my, ehemm, many years of living and traveling, I have never seen couples er, copulating on a public beach.... but I guess there is always a first time for everything, say it ain't so, Vincenzo, or whatever cranks your tractor as my mom would say..... better yet, when you lie down with dogs you may get fleas...... Judy ;-)

Only legal if you got previously the agreement of the counterpart.

This isn't relevant to your *specific* question, but it's relevant to <BR>the concept of any "PDAs" (Public Displays of Affection.) <BR> <BR>There was an AP article about Zanzibar in the past Sunday's Travel section of the Seattle Times. It said... <BR> <BR>If you're looking for debauchery, don't go. Zanzibar is a traditional Islamic land, and social norms are conservative. ... Local women leave only portions of their faces uncovered, and female tourists who wish to avoid harassment should consider following suit. Our skirts reached our ankles, but we still felt naked. "Dear tourist ... Please no mouth kissing," pleads a sign typed in English and tacked to a gate by the Palace Museum. "Street love is highly offensive." <BR>___________________________________ <BR> <BR>Personally, while I realize it's not politically correct to criticize other cultures, I find it very sad indeed that any culture (or religion) feels that an expression -- like kissing in public -- of one of the most beautiful things in the world, love and affection, is "highly offensive" Indeed, what I find "highly offensive" is that attitude. <BR> <BR>By contrast, one of the things I love so much about Paris are the public displays of affection one often sees. I believe it's Art Buchwald who has some wonderful comments about this in his memoirs (as do, I'm sure, other writers.) <BR> <BR>And I love Joni Mitchell's lyrics from her song "In France They Kiss on Main Street" <BR> <BR>Young love was kissing under bridges <BR>Kissing in cars kissing in cafes <BR>And we were walking down Main Street <BR>Kisses like bright flags hung on holidays <BR>In France they kiss on Main Street

Hi Capo, I don't mind PDAs, in fact, I like being the recipient of them&lt;g&gt;, but I think Vincenzo was talking about " in the Act".... IMO, that is a whole differant ballgame, so to speak. Whatever you do, be careful, Vincenzo. Judy ;-)

I've made love (not had sex) with my wife on a very secluded beach in Europe but as I mentioned it was a very secluded beach with no one around, except one boat came a little to close. <BR>

You may enjoy a photography Web site I learned about recently at www.danheller.com. He is a pro travel photographer, and his site contains hundreds and hundreds of photos from around the world. There is one whole series of people kissing. Nice travel photography site all the way around.

Hi Judy. Yes, I realize that Vincenzo was talking a different ballgame...a ballgame which I believe involved home plate rather than merely first or second base. :~) <BR> <BR>By the way, the Art Buchwald memoir I was referring to earlier is called "I'll Always Have Paris." <BR> <BR>Dan, thanks for the URL for the photography website.

Yes, Dan that photo site is exquisite...it is now on faves list! <BR>Judy

You might want to consider the insect life before attempting such a manoeuvre. Sand flea bites on those parts of the body that are normally exposed are bad enough.....not to mention cuts from shells, etc...

Capo why is it that you are so completely unable to respect the views of others?? <BR>In America, there are plenty of Constitutional provisions allowing for freedom of speech/expression etc. You're an American. In America you're welcome to play by your rules. <BR> <BR>But when you venture into other countries, why is it that you bloody Americans are so arrogant as to assume that your ways are the best/only customs and principles, to hell with the beliefs and customs of locals dating back a dozen centuries before America was even colonized!! <BR> <BR>That's one reason so many people view the US with such disdain and disgust. <BR>Try to practice a little respect for the customs, sensibilities and history of those countries you visit. <BR> <BR>YOU may not view public affection as offensive. But guess what? Your opinion doesn't carry much weight once you leave your self righteous shores. You Americans really don't get it much of the time.

Helmy, Re: "Capo why is it that you are so completely unable to respect the views of others??" <BR> <BR>I'm afraid you misunderstand what I'm saying (although, admittedly, perhaps I wasn't clear enough.) <BR> <BR>I'm not saying that I don't, or wouldn't, "respect" or obey the traditions/requirements/customs/laws/etc. <BR>of other cultures/religions/countries. I do, and I would, respect and obey them...when I'm there, IN those places. <BR> <BR>I completely agree with you that when one is IN another culture/country, one plays by the rules in that <BR>culture/country. I'm not going to, for example, demand that I be admitted to St. Peter's in shorts, <BR>or demand that I be able to kiss in public in Zanzibar, because one can do these things in the U.S. <BR>or in France or in other countries. <BR> <BR>But I don't have to *agree* with traditions, requirements, customs, and laws. All I'm doing here is <BR>expressing my opinion. And, as I said above, my *opinion* is that I find it very sad indeed that any <BR>culture (or religion) feels that an expression -- like kissing in public -- of one of the most beautiful <BR>things in the world, love and affection, is "highly offensive." <BR>

Bravo Capo!

frankly i do not care who gets laid where. who cares. this is a travel forum not a sex site. you want sex go to lp

Capo <BR> <BR>what about a culture (or religion) that feels that making love in public is "highly offensive" ... Why should one consider it to be a totally different ballgame? Wouldn't it simply be another expression of love and affection? <BR> <BR>Paulo

Thanks, Liz! <BR> <BR>Paulo ~ Thank you as well; that's an excellent question. Making love is most certainly another expression of love and affection. However, I also don't think that all expressions of love and affection are equal. Kissing and making love, IMO, *are* different ballgames; As I noted above, kissing is a ballgame which involves first or second base...whereas making love is a ballgame which involves home plate. :~) <BR> <BR>We -- religions/cultures/countries/individuals -- all draw our lines in different places. I guess what I find very sad is that a culture or country draws it's line so far to one extreme as to even find kissing in public offensive. Does that make sense?

Be careful, sand can have the same affect as a pencil sharpener does on a pencil. <BR>

It sure makes sense from our (both yours and mine) perspectives. Our lines are drawn, more or less, in the same zone. <BR> <BR>But I also think that you're actually sorry, let's say, for yourself if you had to live in that culture. The same way as the Yahooes (who are used to make love in public) would feel sorry if they had to live within our culture. <BR> <BR>On the other hand, who guarantees that cultures that don't use to show love and affection in public, indeed don't do it "better" in private? If that's the case, there's no reason to feel "sorry" for these cultures. <BR> <BR>Unless we're able to experiment other cultures in full (which IMO is almost impossible because of our own cultural traces that won't let go) we'll never know! <BR> <BR>Changing the axis a bit, I'm pretty sure that very simple people, in farms of central Brazil, that have almost no contact with the world have better chances of being "happy" (of course, it depends on one's definittion of happiness) than well informed city people. Most things that make them happy we don't even notice! So, why feel sorry for their "ignorance"? <BR> <BR>Paulo