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[epiphaniebloom]

What sort of arts scene is there? How does it rate on the gay-friendly meter? What are regional and city-specific trends and customs that I should know about? Also, what is the pollution like?

I've been to Shanghai, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and Macau, and am interested to know how Dalian differs from the rest of China.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Gay-friendly meter and China, as you may know, do not go hand in hand.

Dalian is cosmopolitan, but not THAT much.

Shanghai or Hong Kong would be the best places to save yourself from any anti-gay speeches.

[inchinanow]

Come here and be gay. Dalian is a nice city. I am not gay, but I know people who are. Not much trouble in Dalian for these people. They are not going to bother a gay foreigner.

INCHINANOW

[epiphaniebloom]

I don't really like labels, but I'll identify as 'pansexual' for convenience.

[Beyond1984]

"What is the culture like in Dalian?" - epiphany

I've been in Dalian for over 18 months, and haven't been to the cities you mention. (I will be going to HK at the end of this coming week).

This is the first city outside the US where I've worked that isn't a capital. I prefer it to both Kiev and Riga. The former seemed sleazy, combining a heavy drinking culture with gambling venues (on almost every corner). But opera and ballet tickets were (relatively) cheap and the main street closed to traffic on weekends, lending a festive spirit to those who caroused to broadcast music while eating and drinking. Riga was more reserved, with fewer affordable cultural events. Both were much colder in the winter, with much more snow, than Dalian.

In Dalian, in the area of the Shangri-La hotel, a few Irish-style bars are scattered among a variety of places where you won't be taking your cute Chinese girlfriend, but if so inclined could rent one.

I haven't gone to any movies (don't know or care where a cinema is) and after one evening of expensive Guinness haven't been back to the Irish bars. My cute Chinese gf doesn't drink and I've lost all interest in public drinking places. I haven't heard of any cultural events such as Beijing opera or concerts, but make a point of trying at least one new restaurant every week, and the bill for two is almost always 60 yuan or less.

I like wandering around the outdoor markets, buying cheap, fresh and excellent seafood, taking a bus to a beach and swimming in the Yellow Sea (the beaches are more rock than sand), taking photos, a little tennis on the university courts, feeding the many cats on campus ... I love cooking in the Chinese style, making sure that flames from the wok shoot at least a foot in the air, and turning the food by tossing it ...

Female university students seem to usually walk hand-in-hand or arm-in-arm and I've seen Chinese guys walking along, one with an arm draped over the shoulder of another ... no one bats an eye.

Maybe others can comment on the "pan" scene ...

The great thing about Dalian is that everyone seems to mind his/her own business and I get few if any stares (except from small amazed children at whom I love to wave; I always get a smile from the Chinese mom or dad

I know life here must seem a bit poky, but I plan to buy a Dalian apartment ... The area, blessed with both mountains and sea, reminds me a bit of Monterey Bay/Pebble Beach and even has a golf course

PS: Don't be astonished if a Mod moves this thread to China - Off Topic

-HKD

"How does it become a man to behave toward this American government today? I answer that he cannot without disgrace be associated with it."
-Henry David Thoreau, "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience," 1849

[Surfdude18]

Gay friendly - seriously, as others have said, don't come to China if that's what you're after. Head for Thailand instead.

TBH when it comes to culture here in Dalian, I don't see much of it, but I am out in Kaifaqu and too busy with the kid to think about seeing what's 'going on' in the city centre.

In terms of the locals though they are (IMO) quite friendly if you make the effort to speak the language, and they are also relatively unintrusive. The dialect is also pretty standard which means you get far far less of the "Ting bu dong' type reactions to your attempting to speak Chinese. I agree about the relative lack of stares and hellos. In fact, in the area where I reside, I know so many locals to say hello, good morning, etc to that usually if someone does try the 'hello' b.s. I just assume it's someone I kind of know, and only occasionally does it turn out to be a moron.