Category: Travel

The French Kiss: A Passionate History of Romance & Culture

Beautiful French girl wearing French lingerie in hotel room with red lipstick
Alice. Alba Opera Hotel, Paris 2014. Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2024.

The French kiss—a symbol of romance, intimacy, and affection—is one of the most iconic forms of human expression. Its origins, however, are often shrouded in mystery. Despite its name, the act of a deep kiss, with tongue involvement, is not unique to France but has become closely associated with French culture and allure. The history of the French kiss is a fascinating journey through human evolution, cultural exchanges, and the perception of love.

The origins of the French kiss likely date back to ancient times, even before recorded history. Anthropologists suggest that it may have evolved from a natural instinct. Some theories propose that early humans shared food mouth-to-mouth, which may have led to the eventual connection of kissing as an intimate gesture. Evidence of kissing appears in ancient civilizations like Mesopotamia and India, where lovers are depicted embracing in intimate poses.

The term “French kiss,” however, is much more modern. It didn’t enter the English lexicon until the early 20th century. During World War I, American and British soldiers stationed in France observed how French women kissed their lovers—more passionately and with tongue, something that was less common in the English-speaking world at the time. When these soldiers returned home, they began to talk about this type of kiss, dubbing it the “French kiss” due to its association with the sensuality and perceived sexual liberation of French culture.

By the 1920s, the term gained widespread popularity. France, already viewed as a country of romantic passion and artistic expression, embraced the reputation. The French kiss became synonymous with Parisian romance, further fueling the stereotype of France as the heart of love and passion. It started appearing in popular culture, from literature to cinema, and the image of lovers exchanging a French kiss beneath the Eiffel Tower became an enduring symbol of romance.

Today, the French kiss remains a universal gesture of affection, transcending borders and languages. It represents more than just physical connection; it signifies trust, closeness, and deep emotion between two people. Whether as a form of playful flirtation or a profound expression of love, the French kiss continues to be a powerful and enduring symbol of human intimacy.

In essence, what began as a natural instinct evolved into a culturally defined act that now embodies the art of romance across the world.

Bob Shell: The Loch Ness Monster

AI rendering of Loch Ness Monster mythology
Loch Ness Monster. Rendering by AI.

Text by Bob Shell, Copyright 2024

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Loch Ness Monster

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I like to watch ‘History’s Greatest Mysteries’ on the History Channel. They usually do a pretty good job in their research. But, not so for the program about the Loch Ness Monster. This program was poorly researched. In my original career I was a zoologist. I’ve been interested in cryptids, unknown creatures since the 1960s. In around 1965 I read the seminal book ‘On the Track of Unknown Animals’ by Bernard Heuvelmans. That book really captured my attention, and spurred a lifelong interest in the subject. 

Interestingly, some of the animals in the book that were unknown at the time, some are now known, and some can even be seen in zoos. 

The Loch Ness creature has been of particular interest to cryptozoologists since reports of it go back at least 1,500 years. The ‘dragon’ that Saint George killed may have been one of these animals. 

In the 1960s a researcher named Tim Dinsdale got a 16mm film of an animal swimming rapidly away across the lake. You can clearly see the animal’s big front flippers churning up the water as it swims rapidly across the lake. Later he had a man take a powerboat across the lake to allow comparison. They’re obviously very different. To date Dinsdale’s film is some of the best evidence for an unknown animal in Loch Ness. 

In the early 1970s, as I recall, Dr. Harold ‘Doc’ Edgerton designed special underwater camera equipment and powerful electronic flash equipment to penetrate the murky water of Loch Ness, which is stained by peat. Visibility is limited to a foot or two. 

Now, Doc Edgerton wasn’t just anybody. He was the inventor of electronic flash. And he designed the special flash equipment to penetrate the murky water in his lab at MIT. 

The expedition using Edgerton’s equipment got several amazing photographs. One shows a large rhomboid flipper and the side of a very large animal. Another photo shows the head, neck, and front of the body. The head looks somewhat like a horse’s head. This fits with eyewitness descriptions that say the head looks like a horse’s or sheep’s. 

Why didn’t the TV program show Dinsdale’s film or Edgerton’s photos? Could it be that their researchers are too young to know about them? 

The program did devote time to a Swedish study that sampled water from Loch Ness and analyzed the DNA found there. They found DNA from many species, but also a significant amount of unknown DNA. Certainty they ought to have been able to determine what the unknown DNA was in broad strokes. For example, was it from a mammal, a reptile, a fish? That should have been possible to determine. 

One important point has been missed by every TV report and book I’ve seen on the subject. The Loch Ness creature and those from other large lakes are reported to undulate vertically. Because of the structure of their vertebrae, reptiles and fish undulate horizontally, not vertically. Mammals alone undulate vertically. That’s why fish and the extinct ichthyosaurs have vertical tails, while dolphins and whales have their flukes horizontal. Watch videos of fish and dolphins swimming. Fish move side to side, dolphins up and down. I would argue that what lives in Loch Ness is an unknown mammal that has resulted from convergent evolution to look like a plesiosaur. 

Dr. Heuvelmans also wrote the best books on the great sea serpent. The Loch Ness creature and other similar lake monsters are only found in lakes with connections to oceans. In the case of Loch Ness, the loch is connected to the North Sea by the River Ness, so the creatures could be migratory, like the eels that breed in Loch Ness then migrate to the sea. Animals looking like Nessie have been seen by fishermen around Scotland and the Hebrides. 

Gavin Maxwell, who wrote the great book ‘Ring of Bright Water’ and its sequels, tells of his sighting of an unknown creature while he ran a shark fishery off the island of Soay. This animal rose silently from the water, a horse-like head atop a long, slender neck. The animal stared at him for a few moments with very large eyes, then sank straight down and disappeared. These animals, whatever they may be, seem able to change their buoyancy, to surface or sink without disturbing the surface of the water. 

About The Author: Bob Shell is a professional photographer, author and former editor in chief of Shutterbug Magazine. He is currently serving a 35 year sentence for involuntary manslaughter for the death of Marion Franklin, one of his former models.  He is serving the 15th year of his sentence at Pocahontas State Correctional Facility, Virginia. To read additional articles by Bob Shell, link here: https://tonywarderotica.com/bob-shell-banned-in-boston/

 

Alex Foxe: Travel Days Memories of 1996

Text by Alex Foxe, Copyright 2024

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Travel Days: Memories of 1996

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Finding myself naked on the roof of a gentleman’s club in Athens, Greece, was certainly not how I envisioned spending the summer of ’96.

The journey to Athens started while I was working the feature circuit in Canada. I had heard from fellow dancers that one could make substantial money in places like Japan, Macau, or Greece without compromising one’s personal boundaries. Tempted by tales of earnings over $30,000 a month plus tips, and enticed by stories of dancers returning with piles of cash and the latest gadgets, a few girlfriends and I auditioned through our agency in the plush executive suites of Vancouver hotels for a three-month stint abroad.

When an opportunity arose to meet a talent scout for a Japanese club, my friend Misty—who was absolutely stunning with her petite frame, long blonde hair, and natural beauty—and I attended the audition. While she was immediately selected, I faced a request from the scout to undress to my comfort level, which did not include removing my panties. Ultimately, I wasn’t picked for Japan, which was disappointing as Misty was the first real friend I had made in Canada. She had an impressive work ethic and aimed to own a franchise of the Original Pancake House, a place she adored. Misty was the one who introduced me to Dutch Baby pancakes, which remain my favorite to this day.

Instead, I landed a three-month gig at a club in Athens, accompanied by Georgia Peach, a colorful character with a tough exterior whose estranged husband was part of a famous motorcycle gang. Georgia was fiercely independent, the first wife in her husband’s chapter to get her own Harley Davidson—a rare feat at the time. She advised against getting too involved with the bikers, a tip I took seriously given her insights and my own prior knowledge of the organization.

Our trip included a 10-hour layover in London, where Georgia and I explored the city on a double-decker bus, taking in sights like Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, and sampling some classic fish and chips before continuing on to Greece. Upon arrival, we learned we’d be staying in a small guest house behind a large residence less convenient than a hotel, it required expensive taxi rides to the club and adherence to a strict curfew. One morning, returning late, we narrowly escaped an encounter with the estate’s guard dogs, thanks to the separating distance of a large swimming pool.

Rehearsals filled our weekdays. While some dancers easily picked up the routines due to their experience, others like myself found it challenging, especially since I wasn’t skilled in pole dancing, making group choreography mandatory. The club was often quiet—a result, we later learned, of the owners not paying off the local mob, which explained the sparse clientele. Despite efforts, the earnings were far below expectations. The regulars knew of the club’s tip policy and discreetly passed us cash folded into small squares, which I learned to stash in my knee-high boots—a wardrobe choice that soon became a daily necessity.

We had a diverse group of dancers from Canada, America, and Eastern Europe, who all bonded well. My heart went out to those who couldn’t leave or chose to stay because even a little money was better than none. Most of the girls sent money back to their families. During my stay, two sisters introduced me to a charming man named Dragon—indeed, his real name.

Increasingly wary, we were often pressured to hand over our passports for “safekeeping.” I knew better than to relinquish mine. One night, just after a performance and while clad only in my boots, we were tipped off about an impending police raid. In a frenzy, we were led along a hidden path that took us up to the roof where we hid for hours, shivering and fearing arrest for working illegally.

Lying there under the stars, naked and cold, I resolved to find a way out of Athens. Little did I know that escaping to surprise my boyfriend, Dragon, in Yugoslavia would be my way out. It turned out that while club security was searching for me at the airport expecting me to return to Canada, I was at another, heading to a completely different destination. This move effectively marked my escape from the club and its questionable practices, and unknowingly, set me on a path to a new chapter in my life.

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Alex Foxx adult actress wearing SEX blouse
Portrait of Alex Foxe by Tony Ward, Copyright 1996

Unveiling The Mystery: Blindfolded

Woman at a park in Paris about to put on a blindfold while an attractive blond looks on
Blindfolded. Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2024

Unveiling The Mystery: Blindfolded

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In the realm of intimacy, desires can take myriad forms, often transcending the conventional. One such enigmatic preference is the allure of being blindfolded during sexual encounters, a choice that fascinates and intrigues many. While it might seem unconventional to some, there are profound psychological and physiological reasons why some women find pleasure in this sensory deprivation.

Firstly, the act of being blindfolded can heighten sensory perception. By removing the sense of sight, other senses become more acute, intensifying the experience of touch, smell, taste, and sound. Every caress, whisper, and breath against the skin becomes amplified, leading to a more immersive and exhilarating encounter. This sensory amplification can create a heightened state of arousal and anticipation, deepening intimacy and connection between partners.

Secondly, relinquishing control can be a potent aphrodisiac. For many women, being blindfolded symbolizes trust and surrender, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the moment without the distractions of the outside world. By placing their trust in their partner, they can explore their deepest desires and fantasies in a safe and consensual environment. This surrender to pleasure can be incredibly liberating, empowering women to embrace their sexuality without inhibition.

Furthermore, the element of surprise adds an element of excitement and novelty to sexual encounters. When sight is removed, every touch and sensation becomes unpredictable, creating an element of suspense and anticipation. This element of surprise can evoke a sense of adventure and thrill, enhancing the overall experience and making it more memorable.

Additionally, being blindfolded can serve as a form of escapism from the pressures and stresses of everyday life. In a world filled with constant stimulation and distractions, the act of surrendering control and allowing oneself to be fully present in the moment can be incredibly cathartic. By focusing solely on the sensations and pleasures at hand, women can experience a sense of freedom and release, allowing them to temporarily escape reality and immerse themselves in pure pleasure.

Ultimately, the allure of being blindfolded during sex is deeply personal and varies from individual to individual. For some, it’s about enhancing sensory perception and intensifying arousal. For others, it’s about trust, surrender, and the thrill of the unknown. Whatever the reason, the act of being blindfolded adds a layer of excitement and intimacy to sexual encounters, allowing women to explore their desires and fantasies in a safe and consensual way.

Fantasy: A Clear Night in Paris

Two people photographed at night looking stylish in Paris neighborhood
Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2024

Photography and Text by Tony Ward, Copyright 2024

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A Clear Night in Paris

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It was a clear night in Paris, the kind that draws lovers out into the open air. The quarter moon hung brightly in the sky, bathing the city in a soft glow. Ross  sat alone on a bench in a tiny park not far from the Eiffel Tower. Though the hour was late, he was wide awake, lost in thought.

He  was considered by many to be a handsome man – tall, with dark hair, a neatly trimmed beard and a stylish dresser. A lawyer by profession, dark suits were accented by ties and KVaughn scarves for a more casual look. But, his rugged looks did little to ease the loneliness he felt. For weeks now, he had come to this spot, hoping to catch a glimpse of HER.

The woman who walked by the park every night on her way home from one fashionable event or another. The vision of this woman who often wore black had stolen his heart at first sight. He knew nothing about her, not even her name, yet he was utterly captivated and hoped he would soon see her again.

On one particular  night,  a photographer was photographing in the park on a fashion shoot.  As if on cue, she appeared first in the distance, looking like a Parisian goddess in her dark sunglasses and sheer black dress.  Ross straightened up, with his pulse quickening. As she drew nearer, he noticed she carried a half-empty glass of champagne in one perfectly manicured hand. His brows furrowed slightly, sensing something was off. Her usual confident stride seemed slower, more wavering as the photographer, Tony Ward snapped her passing him by.

An attractive woman passes a male admirer seated on a park bench in Paris at night.
Photo: Tony Ward, Copyright 2024