Recently, Nudist Day made a very brief stop at The Grand Barn, a rustic nudist club in Ontario, Canada. The reason the visit was so short is that it wasn’t necessary to extend it further, as it became abundantly obvious early on that things have not changed much.
Located right by freeway 417, just a few miles from the Quebec border, The Grand Barn looks like a typical farm, no hints as to its true nature, which certainly isn’t farming. I was alone for this visit, and one of the few good things about this club is that it’s open to any comer. I was greeted at a door of the huge barn by Peter, the owner of the property. A jovial and verbose fellow, he at one point asked me if “I liked seeing the naked girls”. That aside reminded me that this is also a club frequented by libertines. I only came here to spend a little time naked on a very hot, humid day, and also to check-out the nudist fair announced on the club’s chaotic, hideous website.

This was on a Monday afternoon, and I seemed to be the only person around. There certainly wasn’t any fair going on here, so all that I could do was roam the vast grounds. On my previous visit, I had foolishly ventured far down the unmaintained trails through the woods at the back of the property, emerging with a severe rash on the length of my legs, thanks to the tall weeds. The rash disappeared by the next day, but it did itch quite a bit! This time, it was impossible to go anywhere except to “Desire Lake” (a pungent pond, really) as the weeds have overtaken most of the land. When I later asked Peter why he didn’t maintain the trails, I got a rather convoluted answer which, if shortened, would resume to “I don’t feel like it”. Even though I tried to avoid walking through the weeds this time, I still managed to get a bit of the same rash on my lower legs!

If you do decide to visit The Grand Barn, bring plenty of bug spray and a machete! Nudist day, however, cannot recommend it as a nudist venue.

An interesting phenomenon happens in the nudist world: Our brains know other nudists from head to toe. That is to say, we develop the ability to recognize each other through more than just facial features, unlike people in the clothed world. Yes, even our genitalia become part of our identity. We can also identify others from a distance where facial details can’t be distinguished.

In the “textile” world, clothing acts as a very poor clue as to who we are, especially since one does not wear the same things all the time. I dare say that as naturists we’re more complete as people in the physical sense. Also, contrary to popular belief, a lot of people look better naked than dressed! The beauty of their bodies is hidden when they’re clothed. Perhaps their faces are not so attractive on their own, or clothes hang on them like drapes!

Is this is how nature had meant it to be? Get naked and be whole again!

Cuba has been a popular vacation destination for Canadians and Europeans for many years now, but perhaps what is not as well known is that many resorts have excellent nudist beaches. Typically located on barrier islands in both the north and south of the island, these 4 and 5 star all-inclusive hotels boast some of the best “au naturel” beaches around, and you don’t have to walk far to reach them as they’re right alongside the hotel’s textile beaches. Such is the case for Sol Melia on Cayo Santa Maria on the Atlantic side: There, you can actually walk in the buff on white sand beaches for several miles without encountering another soul. Another area worth mentioning is Cayo Largo on the southern side of Cuba. The impoverished island is not known for being laid-back, but let’s not forget that the Communist regime is desperate for foreign currency, so it’s eager to provide the things that tourists seek, including naturist beaches! Note that in order for Americans to enjoy these hotels, they must of course make travel arrangements via foreign countries, such as Canada.