Barcelona, desde abajo (en BcnWeek)

(published in BCNWeek Magazine, Barcelona, June 2006)

Hollyone, former porn star, 120 cm (vertically), gets sentimental.

He is Italian, but arrived in Barcelona twenty years ago. We could say that he knows the city very deeply — especially some parts of the night life that are little revealed to the rest of the citizens.

Although he retired one year ago and currently enjoys a simple life, he has spent part of his professional life acting in porn movies along side celebrated actors like Rocco Sifredi. Sex performances with one, two or even more astonishing girls was the day to day work for him during two decades, most of the time in Bagdad Café, the famous porn club opened in 1975. There, guests can enjoy all kinds of shows — like showgirls, lesbian duos, live sex… and also have the option to interact with the artists several times during the show.

“Bagdad has changed lately, adapting to the internet, for example. It is a reflection of how Barcelona has changed too during last years”, he reveals. “The city has improved, but the night life is getting worse”. Hollyone figures, with a sign of conviction, that when he arrived to Barcelona you could find many more clubs and after-hours. “Youngsters now are fed up, nervous, they don’t know how to drink or take drugs. The city has become more dangerous also.

”On the other hand, Barcelona has two secrets that make her mysterious and attractive, especially for tourists. Sex and night life. Everything considered, the city seems to tourists a sex paradise in Europe, at least when compared to the other European scenes. Hollyone (nobody knows his real name) agrees with me. “The city has plenty of brothels and prostitutes on the streets. I personally prefer Dutch showcases,” he says.” Also most of the Bagdad Café visitors are tourists “who expect to have an unforgettable experience here. They pay, and they have it in return.”