Using Sex To Sell Israel

A few days back I blogged about Tourism New Zealand’s innovative approach to internet marketing. Israel is another country that’s been harnessing the power of the interweb to push their claim as a great place to visit.

Unlike New Zealand, Israel can’t offer alpine lakes and adventure sports on every street corner, so they’ve decided humour and sex is the best way to lure visitors to the Holy Land. (Read that last sentence back for the true meaning of irony).

Who knew Israel was the Mediterranean’s answer to Brazil?

Indian Villages Rattled…Shaken…but More Satisfied

Sorry to scoop Willy on this one, but more news from the world of latex. Strangely, India, the land of the Kama Sutra, bans pornography and sex toys (but not condoms).

Now, according to the BBC, an Indian company and the Indian government have teamed up to bring to market a condom that vibrates. At about $3 for a pack of 3, this product has stirred up more than it’s users. Problem is: if it waddles–or vibrates, in this case–like a duck, is it a duck?

The government backed the launch to promote condoms to be used to slow the spread of AIDS. (A huge problem in India, as they have the world’s largest population of people with AIDS.)

So far, the company says the condom has been well received, but an outcry from more conservative Indians has spewed forth, particularly in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Opponents argue it’s a banned sex toy masquerading as a condom. A particularly outspoken critic is that state’s minister for roads and energy, who, presumably, must want folks to focus on the use of cars for driving, rather than using the backseats.

The only thing I can think of is that he was concerned after reading my post on the ranking of the best cars to have sex in. Either that, or he’s afraid the vibrations could adversely impact the performance of India’s favorite car, the Ambassador, thereby damaging roads and leading to unnecessary energy usage? Hard to say, I’m just trying to make sense of it all.

Best Place for Outdoor Sex?

According to the San Francisco Weekly, the top spot to Do The Deed Outdoors is Golden Gate Park. Claiming there are no shortage of secluded spots for an under-the-sun quickee, the paper even identifies a few hot spots for the horny, including:

  • Romantics should tiptoe out behind the Conservatory of Flowers for sweet and sweet-scented embraces.
  • Scottish history fans can enjoy a “highland fling” behind Robert Burns’ statue on John F. Kennedy Drive.
  • Those who prefer smooth, soft surfaces should consider the bowling green’s manicured lawn at midnight (Quadrant 8).
  • Beware: the historic Windmills are (evidently) well known among the gay community.

Next time you head to Frisco for a long weekend, it might be worth a look-see. Just be sure to look-see for the cops, too!

[Via the pervs at Get Outdoors]

Which Country Has the Most Frequent Sex?

Durex recently released its Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey for 2007-08. Among the many conclusions they drew from the 26,000+ respondents was which country has the most frequent sex. I guess olives and feta cheese are aphrodisiacs, as the Greeks came out on top with 87% of them responding that they had sex on a weekly basis. Rounding out the top 3 spots were Brazil and Russia, neither of which are known for olives and feta, so I suppose my hypothesis is wrong. In any event, the USA limped in at 19th place with only 53% respondents claiming weekly satisfaction.

To clarify: this does not imply that by traveling to one of these countries, YOU are likely to have more frequent sex. It just explains why your tour guides are all so happy.

Khajuraho and the Temples of Porn

Located in central India, Khajuraho is famous for its fabulously sculptured temples resembling huge, melting candles. More than 1000 years old, there are about 20 temples (out of an original 85) remaining today. In addition to their size, the temples — dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Jain — are noted for depicting graphic sexual acts. Some of the images, in fact, are so explicit you might blush.

Although the Khajuraho Temples feature carvings both internally and externally, they do not contain sexual themes inside the Temples or near the deity. Although there are various hypotheses concerning why the temples were designed with such graphic depictions, there’s no doubt they’re gorgeous, intricate, and well-worth the visit — despite the relative difficulty in reaching the site.

Don’t have time to check out the Temples right now? I bet you DO have time to check out the galleries on Flickr and Sunya, as well as the trip report from Stephen and Klaudia.

Take notes. You might learn something.