A Summer in the Nude?

Summer is almost here, at least for us people in the northern half of the world. North America, Europe and Asia are still up to a point suffering from the leftovers of winter, but the most popular season for naturist activities is almost here.
It is ironic that I will be traveling from naturist-unfriendly Asia to the home of free beaches and naturist resorts, Europe, but that all summer I might not have the opportunity of practicing naturism at all, for family reasons.
Apart from the classic weekend treks to the nearest free beach or the two-week stays at full-blown resorts on or close to the Mediterranean, there are also other occasions to get naked.
In late May, a theater in Utrecht is staging a special performance of its naturist play Viva la Naturisteracion - the actors are always naked in that one, but on May 29, the audience can also go nude.
June will mark the next World Naked Bike Rides, in world towns that missed the earlier round predominant in the Southern Hemisphere, including countries like Australia, New Zealand and Argentina.
Spencer Tunick will also resume his activities, with one of his typical mass nude photo shoots at the castle of Gaasbeek in Belgium in early July.
While I will be unable to attend any of these events, I will be looking out for them in the media and reporting on them, maybe here, but at least on Twitter at http://twitter.com/thenudeguru.
Enjoy your naked summer!

Naturist Expo in the Netherlands

Taiwan has lots of exhibitions and fairs, for cars, for furniture, for computers and other electronics, and for travel. But the travel fairs will never feature or even mention the topic of naturism. What a contrast with Europe, where fairs in say, Belgium, or even Italy, a less naturism-friendly country, will have at least one naturist association supporting the cause.
Well, in the Netherlands, over the past three days, they even had a complete fair featuring nothing else but naturism and non-sexual nude leisure activities. The fair 'Naturisme Totaal' took place in the city of Utrecht, not in a small location hidden from view, but at the main exhibition hall in town.
According to media reports, 8,300 people visited the fair, which had a total of 140 stands. Of course you had the naturist associations and the naturist holiday resorts, but also health and spa clinics and saunas.
The Dutch naturist association says that out of the country's 16 million or so inhabitants, more than 2 million practice naturism in one form or another. That can go from just sunbathing naked in one's garden to actively participating in nude cruises, hikes, sport activities.
In other words, Asia still has a long way to go. If you want to know more about what a naturist fair is all about, visit their web site at www.naturismetotaal.nl, which also has pdf texts in English.