Arcadia is an industrial suburb of East London, in the Eastern Cape - a "city" which is pretty much ignored by the world and certainly by the gay media, because it's little and rather faded around the edges and entirely lacking in glamour. All of those things are also what make it an incredibly cool place to be.
If you came to visit, I'd take you to Club Eden; down a dark back street (that euphemism may even appeal to some) and only very gently signposted and through the bars of its security gate, past the smoker who takes your R20 and a bouncer or two. Once you're through, the first thing you'd probably notice is the small dance floor and a lot of black - just round the corner is a bright bar, which was manned by women last time I was there.
You get the feeling that a lot of people know each other and you'll also notice how very mixed it is in terms of gender, race, age and sexuality - on a Friday night anyway. If Zama is DJ'ng (black woman, long cool dreads) you'll also be cheerfully astonished at what great music is playing in a club that resembles a garage. The owner, Sally, seems to be one of those tough and kind lesbians, with a good and realistic sense of humour.
Not everyone is pretty there and not everyone is young either - this is a good thing, as an antidote to many gay clubs, which can feel just a little too superficial after a few years' posturing. Or perhaps I am just getting old. I have no idea what your chances of scoring would be - I didn't try, but I suspect it might not be the top reason to go. Go rather, to meet the local queer community - and I really do mean meet, because it's easy to get talking there by the bar or out the back in the small garden courtyard with the rainbow walls. Go to see and meet real people.
Take tissues though, unless you posess the kind of genitalia you can simply shake - because the toilets are scarily swamp-like and I didn't notice the usual obligatory harassed cleaner rushing about. In fact, just pee standing up and on tiptoe - it worked for me.
Join their
Facebook group too, to see what the children of Eden are like (they're cool) and maybe even the
We rule the garden at Club Eden group for some insight from the very regulars.
Friday night's very mixed, Saturday night's very gay and they hold all kinds of fun events and ladies' nights and so on. I'm going to take my camera next time - I'll keep you posted.
