My little alternative gay ghetto (Calle Republica de Cuba – Oasis,Viena) has become the Hip Strip in the new D.F. Yuppies are taking interest and before you know it the fun will be gone. A new place called Marrakech just celebrated its one year anniversary. It’s a bar that said to itself, if we’re going to be gay let’s be REALLY gay. The decor is pure Ben and Jerry’s — Chunky Monkey walls, Pistachio balcony, Strawberry-Kiwi bathrooms and a Cherry Garcia exterior. It’s so over the top it’s a parody of itself. Anything goes at the Marrakech and at the anniversary party it was never more true.
Normally it’s suffocatingly crowded (if you show up with a decent buzz you don’t mind) but on this night there was a little breathing room. It’s a “100% participation required” kind of joint, everybody dances, everybody sings, everybody drinks ’til they’d fall down if they could (here’s where sardine can conditions come in handy). I would never show up alone, I’m too old and too tall, but I have a whole cadre of pubescent munchkin friends that are always happy to escort me. The crowd is definitely 20/30-something and (ojo) I don’t go there to cruise. But once in a while girls just wanna have fun. If Oasis is the grandmother and Viena is the grandfather Marrakech is that nephew with the lock of blue hair hanging down his face who ran away to NYC the day he graduated from high school.
Gay bars and clubs in Mexico tend to be owned by straight people who are inclined to hire straight (albeit gay friendly) staff. Oddly it makes you feel like gays rule the world and straight people are “the help”. Marrakech is an exception. The owner is gay as are most of the bartenders. So nobody seemed to mind when at the anniversary party, random customers jumped up on the bar to dance and pull their pants down. Let me be clear, this bar would never fly in the Castro, it has too much a sense of humor about itself. Think early Hole in the Wall in shades of pink. And I will repeat — anything goes.
